


Her Slight Limerence

by AevumAce



Series: Cresswell Legacies [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Bullying, Eventual Smut, F/F, Fluff and Angst, LGBTQ Character, Love at First Sight, M/M, Teen Romance, Witch Curses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-20
Updated: 2020-01-28
Packaged: 2021-02-13 15:14:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 8
Words: 21,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21496351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AevumAce/pseuds/AevumAce
Summary: Daphne Corona disapproves of everyone's cruel behavior and homophobia at high school and tends to keep to herself to avoid drama but things take a dramatic turn when the girl she saved from bullies got too interested in her. Alexa Cresswell isn't what she seemed to be. At all.
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Female Character, Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Series: Cresswell Legacies [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1420642
Comments: 5
Kudos: 22





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Compared to the first story in the series, this is pretty tamed. I wrote this when I was bored during English Class. I personally think the story is a bit silly because it was written when I was 16, but it's dear to me. This was one of my old WIPs I picked up again so the writing style changes as it goes. I hope you guys like it!

"So, he lied to us then?" He asked her casually, shifting his feet.

Arching her eyebrows at the sight of him, she wondered who he was. She didn't even know him, considering that she just met him just five minutes ago before she discovered the truth.

She looked at him, his eyes filled with sympathy. No, it's empathy. They shared the same pain. The pain inflicted by the same person.

_So my supposed boyfriend had another boyfriend?_

She could feel the monster rage inside her system. Her ex could have explained everything to her from the beginning, but no, He kept her ignorant. He blatantly misled her. She tried not to act like she was furious, so she merely stood and act unresponsive like a hollowed shell.

Her so-called boyfriend was gay, and he cheated on her and he lied to his boyfriend. Both of them never knew until now. And because of her anger, she cannot help but think.

_Is my crazed ex-boyfriend living up to the bisexual stereotype or was he only using me to cover up?_

"Sorry, you were dragged into this." The other guy said. He had beautiful dark eyes and his black hair a stark contrast to his white shirt. "I told him not to."

_So he did use me. His boyfriend verified it._

It's okay. No hard feelings. She was used to it. It's every day that people around would use one another for self-gain. Or something worse like selfish benefits. It’s abundant in nature, like a baby who cries to gain food from their parent, a jock who would act nice to a nerd so they’d make his homework and a philanthropist would preach for peace for inner peace.

No one has ever done anything without self-gain.

"You don't seem angry." He said, noting her calm visage.

"Why would I be angry, Alec?" she made a humorless laugh. "I should've seen it coming."

His eyes widened in surprise. "So does that mean you know?"

"Of course I don't." She snarled. "I only discovered it now. My gaydar's not quite good. I can only tell if someone's gay if they are flirting in front of me."

"So is it safe to assume that you were also using him?"

She swallowed a lump of air that was stuck in her throat. The dark-haired guy was kind to her—maybe too kind. So she tried to be the meanest person she can be. 

"Yes, I was. I only dated him to get the snobby people out of my love life and to somehow belong in the norm."

Only the people with great minds tend to be more depressed and sarcastic and only the people with great empathy tend to be more selfless. Combined, people great minds and great empathy know of the world's venom and carry the weight of the world on their shoulders.

Despite her pretty pessimistic views, Alec smiled and nodded, understanding something from her other than her spoken words. He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at her with a knowing smile.

It dawned on her that he could see through her. 

She smiled back. Genuinely. 

_There's no point in lying, isn't there? _

"Life's hard when you're considered strange," she said.

"I understand. Especially when you’re bisexual."

An understanding crossed between the two of them. She had never told anyone about her attraction to girls as well, but it seemed that Apollo can read her like an open book.

"You're too open.” She said. “Is this what coming out of the closet did to you?"

Alec’s lips tugged into a smile. "Perhaps," he shrugged. "But Apollo’s denying everything. It’s okay. I understand his pain. He was accidentally outed by people who had no business in doing so.”

_That idiot. He's going to regret lying to this wonderful guy._

"Well,” her voice cracked. “We are human beings. We all fear the same big thing. If not death then rejection."

The guy's smile vanished but beamed after a few seconds of reflecting. He wrapped his arms around her in a warm hug and it took her by surprise.

He's so gentle, so kind. It was too much she knew, she didn’t deserve this. She was the true outsider in this love triangle. She was a beard. A fake girlfriend to cover up Apollo Liam’s homosexuality. The unwilling and uninformed tool to help Apollo Liam stay in the closet.

Until everything went into chaos.

When Apollo’s jerk teammates in the football team found out and outed him in the entire school. 

After he broke the hug, he muttered another sincere apology on behalf of everything.

"See you around, Daphne. Take care."

Daphne watched him as he left. “You too, Alec.”

* * *

**_It was_** a rush hour as the bell rings. It irritatingly reminded people at school that they should keep moving. It caused a flock of students to exit all classrooms to their new class according to their schedules.

Daphne let all the others go first before she moved, letting them hoard on each other at the corridors. 

_Why would I risk getting stampede in the middle of the hall just to be early?_

When the area became spacious, she moved from the corner and avoided everyone's eyes that landed on her. Ever since Apollo came out as gay, all sympathies were on her. It was wrong. So wrong to be considered the victim. She can't take it that they are siding with the wrong edge of the blade.

They should be proud of Apollo. He was forcefully brought out of the closest and he held his head up high, but they scorn him. He wasn't a quarterback anymore. He wasn't even considered a jock. The football players complained to their coach that they wouldn't want a gay man to harass them in the locker room or to cope up a feel while playing in the field. So the white man kicked him out.

Alec was with him all the time. He was with him after all those bullying and discrimination for the past few weeks.

And Daphne cannot help but envy them. They are strong amidst it all.

Yet, for some reason, Daphne attracted sympathizers. They took her side, but she brushed them off. She was certain they only wanted to befriend her because they want to hear her side of the story not because they want to know her.

_I won't give them the satisfaction then twisting the story to their advantages._

Truly, people only do things for their benefit. 

As she rushed down the halls, she heard something or someone falling down the stairs and hit the nearby lockers.

The fall must be a one of a hell rollercoaster ride.

Classes were over for the day and Daphne was strolling along the crowded corridor towards the parking lot. But there was a sudden commotion.

She turned around and so are other onlookers. A crowd gathered to watch the limping fragile form of the girl who had a bad fall from slipping at the stairs. She had beautiful dark hair that reached her waist and had the grace of a languid maiden from a castle deep in the forests of Austria.

It must have been an awkward fall. Everyone who witnessed the whole scene laughed mockingly to their heart's content, some tried not to and some kept quiet.

_I was among those who pitied her but never came to her aid. _

Sadly, no one did.

"Did you see her stumble down the stairs?" A guy sneered.

"Dude, I swear she cartwheeled." His pal said.

"The bitch deserves it."

"Shut up!" An onlooker finally decided to defend her. “Have you no better things to do?”

"Why don't you just shut up, twink?"

While the knight in shining armor and two rowdy barbarians guffaw on each other, Daphne’s attention drifted to the girl. She slowly stood up; face devoid of emotions and silently cursing. The voices of the argument went deaf in Daphne’s ears and watched her as she stared with gimlet eyes on the cheerleader trio standing at the top of the stairs with suppressed giggles.

_Oh, so they are the cause of her misfortune._

Yet, the poor girl merely slung her bag over her shoulder and left not without difficulty.

No one noticed that she had left. 

_But I did._

Instead of supporting or finding how things worked out between the dispute of the mean kids and the nice kids, Daphne left the scene and headed for her class.

* * *

**_On her_** way home, a flash of dark hair caught the corner of her eye. And sure enough, the girl from earlier was still limping her way around and no one dared to help her. They all just stared at her, kept quiet or whispered behind her.

Daphne couldn't shake her guilt anymore. She might not know her at all but at least, she listened to her conscience. Daphne sauntered towards her. When the girl felt her presence, she looked up.

They observed each other for a moment. Daphne raised a brow. The girl was quiet. There was an air of mystery about her. Daphne couldn't quite read her. At all. Her face showed no trace of emotions—neither happy nor sad.

"Do you need help?" Daphne asked.

"I don't know." She said under her breath with a grin. "Do I?"

_Is she sassing me?_

"Look, I'm trying to help here. Don't ruin it." Daphne quickly grabbed her waist and placed her arm around her shoulders and hoisted her up, carrying her weight a little.

The girl was light like a sack of sugar. Perhaps she was exaggerating. Daphne could feel her cold like a milkshake as her skin under her clothes touched hers. Or perhaps she exaggerating again. 

Daphne helped her walk from her locker to the parking lot of the school. 

“Do you have a car?”

“I usually take the bus,” she murmured.

_Well, I guess... I have to offer her a ride. _

Daphne noticed her staring at her like she was a weird puzzle to solve. She was too showy and soft for subliminal. And Daphne had endured the awkwardness until...

"Why did you help me?"

Daphne gritted her teeth, meeting her dark eyes. "Why do you think?"

For some reason, Daphne expected her to be mushy and stuff but the girl gave her nothing but a harlequin smile. But Daphne didn’t let it rattle her.

She kept her cool and answered. "It's because all of us deserve better than this."

Her facial expression changed. From her cool demeanor to a pleasant surprise. Her mouth’s sealed after that.

She didn't also ask why Daphne brought her to her car. Daphne accompanied her to the passenger seat and went over to the other side. They both fastened their seatbelts before Daphne started the smooth engine then drove the car out of campus.

It got a little awkward once more so Daphne turned the radio on. She was greeted by static, but when she changed the station, it changed to indie music, which was satisfying.

"Where do you live?" She asked after a few minutes of wheels circling the road.

Her lips curved upwards into a smile. Her expression of emotions was limited. If she would allow her lips to show emotion, the rest of her face should remain blank and smooth. Daphne could see her aunts lauding her for having a smooth forehead and cheeks unblemished with acne and frown lines when she got older.

"You're the same year as me, right?" she asked, loud and clear. This was the only time she got to fully hear her voice despite the radio. It was like those voices of indie music.

"Yup."

She smiled some more, her eyes never leaving hers.

"I live around there." She pointed at the glass window of my car to a subdivision. "You can leave just outside the gate. Thanks."

Summerdale. Lovely. A high-class subdivision with maximum security where every house of every block doesn’t look the same. Weird.

Daphne watched as she gathered her bearings and left her car. Although still limping, she managed to get to the guard and narrated what happened to her. All the while Daphne stayed and made sure the guard helped her before Daphne stepped on the pedal, fueling the engine and left.


	2. Chapter 2

It was quiet that morning, although Apollo and Alec were still being picked on like the unwanted broccoli in the school lunch.

Speaking of lunch, it came rather a savior to Daphne when the Homeroom teacher was about to punish her, but he too was eager about the break so he let her off. Daphne got in trouble just because she got an attitude as he put it.

Daphne went to her usual corner in the cafeteria after retrieving her tray and meal. Her lunch was interrupted when a bunch of hipster kids sat next to her

This one kid got wore a beanie, probably to hide some tattoo at the back of his head. "Yo Daphne!"

Daphne scrutinized him and his peers.

"So we heard that you were kind of down this weekend, so we all decided to help you bring a smile to your face."

Daphne mentally facepalmed and rolled her eyes. Here they were again, the people who want to befriend her to get her side of the story.

"Isn’t that such a good idea?" he asked with some hand actions of a rapper.

"Hey, we know is this kind of awkward, but do you remember me?" The girl beside beanie asked. She was cute, with her red curly hair and deep green eyes, yet Daphne couldn't remember her at all. "I was your seatmate in sixth grade. Although we weren't close, you defended me from the bullies because of this braces."

Daphne looked away, finally remembering her. Elysia Wright. Quite a transformation thanks to puberty. She used to have this really big braces and pigtails.

"I want to help you as you did to me."

"You know what this is sweet and all, but you got the wrong person to try to sympathize with," Daphne said, causing them to frown. "I'm not the victim here. I had it coming."

"You're really sweet, Daphne. You've always been like this. You take people's burden to be yours."

"Yes!" The guy said. "Let us take care of you!"

Daphne's eyebrows knitted, grimacing. They were beginning to annoy her but she has no idea how to brush them off gently.

"Daphne," a familiar voice neutralized the area.

Her gaze averted to her caller—the limping girl. She was carrying a tray full of club sandwiches and salad. An option not many kids take. Elysia and the beanie guy stared at her warily.

The unwanted guest sat right next to me without a care in the world, making the table's aura go haywire. It made the hipster kids uneasy.

"Oh, umm..." Elysia said, yet a spark of anger was directed at the other girl. "We're cool with that, Daphne. See you."

And they quickly vanished to another table.

"What do you want?" Daphne asked, coldly.

She chuckled. Dark like chocolate.

"You looked like you wanted them gone." She grabbed her smoothie and placed the straw in her mouth to sip. "So I did you a favor."

"Great," Daphne said, sarcastically.

_Yeah, I did want them gone, but it didn't mean she was welcome to sit next to me. I want her gone too._

Unfortunately for Daphne, the girl sensed her sarcasm but she just laughed it off. "You didn't catch my name—"

"I'm not into catching people's names." She cut her off harshly.

"Clearly," she ticked her tongue and offered her sandwich to me by pushing the plate to me. "The name's Alexa. Alexandria Cresswell."

The name registered in her brain. Yet, she stared at her suspiciously and back at the plate.

_Who would deny food? _

Daphne quickly grabbed the club sandwich before Alexa would change her mind. She might be a fool, but she's not a fool for having twice the lunch.

"Thanks." She said. "How'd you know my name? I didn't throw it to you?"

There it was again. Her harlequin smile. "I have my methods." She continued sipping from the straw.

"Stalker-ish methods then."

Alexa half-grinned and half-smirked then inched towards her ear. It took all of Daphne's strength to not inch away from her.

"I'm your cute stalker."

_Ahem. Cute? Stalker?_

_This is what I get for helping people._

“You didn’t tell me you were a Corona,” Alexa said.

Daphne gave her a side-eye. She had no idea what type of conversation starter that was. “Corona’s aren’t exactly worth noting in this school. The surname’s rare, yes, I give you that. Unless you meant if I’m related to the school’s pranksters. Then yes, those idiots are my brothers.”

Alexa’s lips curled. “So does that mean you have no idea who I was even before you helped me?”

“Should I have known who you are?”

Alexa’s dark eyes glanced over her quickly, like she was assessing her, intriguing her more and more. She grabbed her juice box and took a sip before answering. “No, maybe not.”

* * *

**_A_** **_week_** passed ever since the lunch incident. Daphne grinned as she opened her locker, silently thanking a higher power that she only had one more class left before school got out, and freedom shall be hers.

"Daphne, I have to talk to you."

"What's up, Alec?" Daphne slammed the door of her locker after retrieving the right books. "You need some help fending off the bullies?"

"No, none of that, thanks anyway." He adjusted his duffle bag on his shoulder. "Truthfully, Apollo's getting the hang of it. His mom's very supportive. His father doesn't know how to react. It's his grandfather who he fears about."

"Oh, good for him," she nodded. "So what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

Alec laughed, "Always the optimist of horrifying ways, Daphne. To be honest, I'm here because of what I've heard."

"Oh really?" She quirked both of her eyebrows, with a tight-lipped smile. "What rumors are supposed to be worthy enough of being circulated in the campus corridors with me in it?"

"Well..." Alec’s eyes drifted sideways trying to remember the details. "I've heard you've got a defender."

"What?"

"You are quite the light, Daphne." He inched his face closer then whispered. "And I know how little you know about yourself. I mean, we all do too to ourselves. But the defender, she’s troubled."

"She?"

"That's right." He said, grimly. "I've grown fond of you, Daphne. The best thing I could do to you is to warn you."

Daphne rolled her eyes at all this melodrama. "Who's this shadow you kept talking about?"

"Daphne!" someone called her from behind. Both of them averted their gaze to her caller. Lo and behold, it's just Alexa. Her gaze lingered on Daphne for a while before looking at him.

"Hello, little bro." She said with an amused smile.

Daphne balked, jaw-dropping.

"Daphne," Alec said. "I think you've met my older sister?"

"You two are siblings?" She asked him. The element of surprise had caused her voice to an octave.

"Yes," he said. "Thank you for helping her the other day."

_Now that they mentioned it, I do see the resemblance. That's why Alexa's surname rang a bell._

"Oh, so I guess she told you." Daphne narrowed her eyes at a grinning Alexa.

Her pale cheeks started to gain color. Something like rosy. She looked sideways then tucked the strands of her hair behind her ear.

_Now, what is she embarrassed for?_

Her train of thought disappeared when the warning bell rang. A smile formed on her lips. Physical Education was her favorite class. Too bad, she wasn't a team player. If she were, she'd be part of any of the sports teams in the school.

* * *

Today was a game of softball and Daphne was the next batter of her team. The crowd cheered as she readied herself with the bat. She was left-handed so she stood on the other side.

Then the cue was given by the catcher by relaying his hand signals. The pitcher nodded as he positioned himself to throw with all his might. The ball went towards her.

_Oh ho, a straight fastball, very brave. But, I was braver. _

Daphne swung her upper body and heard the bat clang with the ball.

The crowd cheered once more as the ball went higher and farther—until it was a home run.

_YES!_

Her mind exploded as she ran. The rush of excitement circulating in her veins made her more alive than ever. Success, most especially physical activity, was the only thing where she felt higher than Mount Everest.

After her afternoon period, she showered and wore her spare clothes.

_Ugh, I miss that feeling already. It is only where I feel alive._

Daphne strolled towards the parking lot to my car when she saw those trio cheerleaders again and this time with two jocks bullying a petite girl.

"You're a weirdo, do you know that freak?" The girl with brown locks asked. Trying to be menacing as possible but her voice has an edge of fear in them.

"Stop laughing!" The Asian girl cursed. "Why is she laughing?"

"She's got a weird fetish!" The girl with strawberry blonde hair yelled. AKA the leader of the group. Among all of them, she was the only one Daphne could name—Maddie Hart.

"Babe," a jock with spiky blonde hair and muscular body called for her attention. He was grasping the petite girl by the shoulder as his partner was punching her in the stomach and face. "She's gone mental. I know what a turn on looks like."

Daphne knew the jock as well. He was the supposed best friend of Apollo before he outed himself as an asshole. The name on the tip of her tongue was blurry. The only words she knew that was close to his name was 'Preschool Huge'.

"Quit laughing, bitch!" The tall and lean Asian jock punched her again in the stomach where it supposed to hurt the most.

Daphne slowly crept towards them, trying to keep hidden. She stared at their victim and almost decided to leave them be when she found out it was neither Apollo nor Alec, but then... that dark hair and dark eyes almost made her cringe.

Alexa.

She's got bumps and bruises all over and smeared lips. Despite her beat-up situation, a permanent smirk plastered on her lips, a deep dark chuckle escaped her throat.

As Daphne's first impression of her, it continued to this day. Creepy, although she cannot stand by and watch this. She needed to help her.

Daphne began to access the situation. It will be quite hard to interfere. If Alexa's savior was just a random guy, they'd beat her, if she was a random girl, they'd ignore her, if she was a teacher's pet, they'd laugh at her, and if she was a fellow jock or cheerleader, they'd listen to her. But wasn't a jock or a cheerleader. Daphne bit her lower lip, regretting she didn't work on her camaraderie skills to purposefully stay at the team. She just had to be kicked out by the leader or the coach.

She has to think of something.

Mind over matter or brain before brawns, Daphne took her phone and shot a video. A piece of evidence that might come in handy once things escalated to more violence. When she thought she had enough footage, she headed off there and become Alexa's hero again.

"Leave her alone!" Daphne yelled, stampeding towards them.

The Asian jock walked menacingly towards me, "Who are you making?"

Daphne stared at him dead in the eye and to the rest of them. "You guys got bright futures ahead of you—cheerleaders and athletes alike. But one mistake could destroy it all."

"Are you threatening us, Daphne Corona?" Maddie asked her eyes a fury gray storm.

_Oh good. She knows me._

"I'm not threatening you, doll."

Maddie cringed at the nickname she had given her.

"I'm concerned. Bullying is no good for you. She isn't worth your time. Besides, why do you make her your time?"

"It's because this bitch humiliated me in front of last summer's cheer!"

At the mere mention of it made Alexa smile weakly from the ground.

Daphne rattled her brains before asking, "How?"

"She threw something at me, making me fall from the crucial formation in our cheer which was supposed to make me shine!" Her friends agreed with her. "The she-devil deserves this!"

"That happened?"

_Whoa, Alec's older sister is a bit of a troublemaker. _

“Why isn't she in trouble?"

"She was being discreet. There were a few witnesses, but it came from the stoner crowd so their statements weren't taken seriously. She was punished though. Only a week of suspension and three detentions."

With a gulp, Daphne attempted to maintain her air of calm. "I think this is enough, doll. She took quite a beating."

Maddie crossed her arms and stared at Daphne suspiciously. "And I guess you won't tell anyone about this?"

Daphne made a gesture. "Cross my heart."

With a sneer, Maddie and commanded her lackeys and headed their way. As minutes passed, Daphne made sure they were gone before she immediately went to Alexa's side.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes," she said nonchalantly. Not even a voice of pain or moan escaped her lips.

"You sure?" she asked again.

"Uh, I mean no," Alexa wrapped herself and showed like she was being burned alive in oil. Quite overdramatically. "It hurts so much, Daphne. Hold me."

A small laugh escaped her lips. “Okay, drama queen, I've heard the story. You're at fault here."

Alexa beamed. "You know, you don't blame me for it."

With a newfound view of her, Daphne returned the smile. "Yup. Not one bit."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can see, the way this story is written is vastly different if you compare it to my other newer works. *insert you know that that is? growth meme* Let me know what you think!


	3. Chapter 3

Daphne found herself tending Alexa on her the sofa with a healing kit beside her. She stared at the wounds and winced herself. She gingerly poked at Alexa's cheek with a cotton ball dipped in medicine. "Does it hurt?"

Alexa's eyes seemed far off before she answered. "Not quite."

"Just tell me if it stings, I'll be gentler."

She nodded her head and bit her lower lip, probably refusing to let out any noise.

To avoid questions from the school nurse, Daphne brought Alexa to her home that looked too clean and fancy.

"Where's your family?" Daphne asked, stirring a conversation.

Alexa's face softened and her eyes changed its shine from joy to woe. "I live on my own. I prefer to be independent while Alec lives with our Aunt and Uncle. Our parents are dead."

Daphne internally winced at that, dropping the cotton. "I'm sorry," she said as she took another cotton ball.

"Sorry about dropping cotton or about hearing my tragic story?" She asked, her tone had a playful edge to it.

Daphne stared back at her, mouth open. Alexa looked like Cleopatra, on a chaise lounge. Except she was sitting, covered in bruises and not lying down and being fed some grapes. 

Something about the girl intrigued Daphne. Alexa had been colored black and blue, revealed her tragic story, and yet she was here, exuding poise and collectedness.

_What is she trying to do? Win a Nobel Prize or medal?_

"You're stupid," Daphne said harshly, making Alexa lose her grin. "It's okay to cry. Let it all out. Don't act so cool about it."

Alexa remained speechless while Daphne continued rubbing her bruises with ice and wounds with essential oil.

"What about you?"

Daphne flitted her eyes to her instantly.

"Why aren't you crying? Shouldn't you be? Apollo Liam broke your heart by using you as a cover-up for his sexuality."

"Don't worry," Daphne said as she took a Band-Aid and place it on top of her right eyebrow. "I was also using him."

Alexa's pretty dark eyes widened, expecting her to say something else.

"For what?" she asked when no explanation came.

"My relatives, they all ask me during family reunions on why I'm still single while my cousins are taken. I hate it. Especially when I heard them talking about me behind my back."

"What could they say about you?"

"Well, that I'm a pathetic loser, probably the only saving grace is to be a nun to hide the shame of my incapability to seduce some guy who would, in the future, spread my legs and make me pregnant and continue living life like that."

Without any warning, Alexa burst out, laughing. It was weird. Quite different to what Daphne was used to hearing, but it had its beauty nonetheless. If her chuckles were dark as chocolate, her genuine laughter sounded like wind bells chiming. But there didn't seem to be any indication that Alexa was stopping. It started to become annoying.

Before Daphne could berate her, Alexa beat her to speaking first. "So you hate social norms and stereotypes. You're like every outcast out there. You sound punk, but you're not dressed like it."

"Do you want me to give my parents a heart attack? I'll wear my spike studded black Leather jacket and shave half my head in college."

"Let me guess, are you going to dye your hair black?"

"Who says blonde hair with pink tips can't look good in punk?"

Her lips curved into a smile. "I find you utterly irresistible, Daphne."

Daphne found herself taken aback by the unabashed flirting. "Yes, but not too irresistible, I hope."

When Daphne saw that Alexa was properly taken care of, she took a breather, gathered her bearings and stood up to leave. Before she could even relay whatever she was planning; however, Alexa grabbed her by the hand and said, "Do you want to stay the night?"

* * *

**_After calling_** her mother and asking for permission, Daphne was mentally exhausted. Her mother insisted she wouldn't let her stay, lest she planned to lose her virginity to a random guy on a school night. She only agreed to let her daughter stay when Daphne told her Alexa's full name.

_I wonder if the Cresswells are friends with my family._

When Daphne asked Alexa about it, she answered, "Your father's indebted to mine."

"What?"

"Your father never told you about his work life?"

"No, no... They never told me. Why would they even tell me?"

"I thought communication is a great key for relationships. No matter what it is."

Daphne rolled her eyes. "Alright, but what kind of debt is it? Don't tell me it's money?"

Alexa's jaw tensed. "None of the sort. Your father owes mine a favor or a service."

"How did you know?"

"My parents tell me and Alex everything. Although not in detail. How big of a help it is, I'm not certain. Maybe I can call that favor now. I want to be able to ask you to hang out with me all the time."

Daphne rolled her eyes and arched a perfectly strong eyebrow. "Are you going to waste a debt like that?"

"I'm not financially incapable."

Daphne folded her arms at Alexa's display of rich arrogance. "How do you even live by yourself?"

"I have people taking care of me—my uncle and aunt, and Alec. Of course, there are people I pay to clean the house and tend the lawn. My grandparents from my father's side are all dead. But my other grandpa has Alzheimer's and other my grandma is bedridden in my uncle's house."

"Because they are old," Daphne tried to lighten things up.

"Old," she repeated.

As silence lapsed between the two of them, Daphne could feel the awkwardness seeping through. Back home, she had brothers, which is why there was never any quiet moment at home during the day and on some nights. Extreme silence rose. The uneasiness she had and the innate fear told her that something was wrong.

"So where am I going to sleep? The extra bedroom?" she inquired, to make the silence easier.

Alexa's face lit up in surprised. "Whoa, won't you be lonely? Don't you rather warm the bed with me?"

Daphne stared at her, confused by her actions and subtle messages.

"Come on." Alexa urged, pulling her arm. "It's cold at night here."

"You could turn up the heat."

With lethargic movements, she rotated her head towards her direction. "Now where's the fun in that?"

"Fine," Daphne spat. "No pranks or monkey businesses."

Alexa giggled at her worries with the sliest smile Daphne have ever seen. Daphne never knew she would see this side of her. A side where she's totally in her territory.

Daphne followed after her upstairs. When Alexa opened the door of her bedroom, Daphne's jaw dropped at the bright splash of color that greeted her. Her room was primarily the color red.

It was odd, but a different way of oddness.

Alexa's room was decorated with a million paper cranes, and broken shards fashioned into a small chandelier. She has Christmas lights all over her walls and ceilings in colors orange and neon green.

When she turned off the fluorescent lights to let the orange and green lights reign in all of their glory in the red room, Daphne gasped, awestruck. The light was reflected in the shards, giving it an otherworldly experience. It was like the northern lights, but red.

In her distraction, Alexa pushed Daphne onto the bed frame and pinned her down. At that moment, Daphne thought she was going to die from a knife stab, but instead, Alexa tickled her mercilessly.

“No!"

Uncontrollable giggles erupted from her throat as Daphne attempted to get the imposing girl off of her, but Alexa was talented in this game. Having all the upper hand and slightly mischief strength Daphne didn't know Alexa possesses.

"Please stop!"

"Would you," she began, pink streak forming on her cheeks. "Pretty, pretty, please be my red cherry on top?"

_How could she demand such a thing in exchange for my freedom to breathe evenly?_

"What? You need cherries?" she wheezed. "Fine! I'll buy you a lifetime supply!"

Alexa huffed and pouted. "That's not what I meant."

"What did you meant?"

"Fine," with an exasperated sigh, she repeated. "Please be my cherry. The vanilla sundae is incomplete without you."

Daphne couldn't do anything but laugh at her childish behavior. "Are you implying you're the vanilla?"

"And cream. And the chocolate syrup."

"You made it seem like I'm just a cherry."

"Cherries are everything!" She took Daphne by the hand and clasped it firmly. Alexa's gaze flickered and looked deeply in Daphne's eyes. "You make me more appealing and delicious."

By that passage, Daphne instantly guaranteed a smack to the head. "Of all the adjectives and metaphors you could use."

"So?" She asked, her eyes shining with expectations, ignoring the pain inflicted on her. "What do you say?"

Daphne stared at her hard as if looks could kill. She then ignored her earlier sentiments and snuggled herself under the blankets and faced the walls. "I'm tired."

"What?" she stuttered, "But Daphne!"

"We have class tomorrow."

"Okay then." She said. Her voice had a dash of sadness. "Goodnight, Daphne."

"Night," she mumbled.

* * *

**_Daphne woke_** up in a much-disoriented situation. She must have turned around during her sleep because she was now facing the girl. Alexa was happily snuggled like a kitten in her chest. Alexa's smooth arm was secured around Daphne's waist.

Their position brought about curiosity and something else to stir within her. Daphne wondered how soft Alexa’s curves would be if she roamed her hands all over her.

Daphne gave herself a mental slap. But it did nothing to remove her thoughts away. Alexa’s hands were on her back. Daphne could feel the warmth from her palms through her t-shirt and her fingers sought up and found home in her soft hair.

She couldn’t breathe. Alexa was stealing the air from her lungs.

And that was beginning to nag her.

_I didn’t want it to nag me, but I couldn’t just force myself to feel differently._

"Wake up." Daphne hissed.

When there were no signs of stirring from the other girl, Daphne shook her form dubiously, but it didn't work. Either Alexa was a heavy sleeper, or she was faking it.

Daphne took this situation to her advantage. She studied her face. Alexa had been rather attractive, Daphne was sure of that. Her high cheekbones, her full lips, and those perfect, dark eyes like a hurricane.

Although her beauty wasn't going to help her from what Daphne was about to do.

She forcefully untangled herself from her and stood on the floor. The results had been baffling. Alexa stumbled down headfirst to the floor. The loud thud of her skull meeting the tiled floor echoed all around.

"Oh shi-" Daphne might have miscalculated the force of her jump and went to her, trying to ease her pain. "Alexa, are you okay?"

Alexa was pretty much surprised she woke up on the floor but an odd smile plastered on her lips. It was so weird. The girl looked smitten the moment their eyes met.

"Daphne," she purred. "Why am I on the floor?"

_Crap, she looks cute. But she looks fine._

"Sorry." Daphne quickly apologized, pulling her by the hand to help her stand. "Come on. We have to prepare for school."

* * *

**_She came_** out of the shower with a towel around her body and her shoulder-length blonde hair falling over her shoulders. Now came the dilemma that spurned in her mind. Daphne has no spare clothes.

_Should I wear yesterday’s clothes or should I borrow some?_

She exited the bathroom to ask the owner of the house, only to find Alexa still sprawled all over her bed with her hands glued to her face. She had probably fallen asleep in that position.

For some reason, Daphne didn’t like taking the role of a mother when it came to getting Alexa on track. Daphne glanced back at her. She saw how Alexa’s lips were parted showing her how she was truly asleep.

“Hey, Alexa, get up. It’s your turn.”

Alexa didn’t budge.

Daphne resorted to gently nudging her wake, to fully rocking her like a wave would do a boat.

Alexa still wouldn’t budge. Perhaps, passed out.

Figuring she needed to do the extreme, Daphne went to the bed and grabbed the covers under her. Alexa frowned and moaned as Daphne attempted to wake her up by pulling the sheets from under her body. Once she got them free, Alexa merely rolled to the side.

With a deep intake of breath, Daphne was about to turn on the light on the bed stand to surprise her with the light when Alexa spoke. "Okay, I'm up."

"Yeah, alright, don't tell me I keep my time in the shower for too long to make you fall asleep" Daphne replied, staring back at her phone. “Good for you that it’s still six in the morning.”

Alexa groaned. “Why are you so eager to prepare for school? Do you want to get away from me that much?” she asked as she bolted upright to meet her eyes before averting.

“Do you have any clothes to spare? I’ll wash and return them.”

“Sure,” Alexa said, her gaze downcast. “In the guest bedroom on the first floor, there are new unused clothes.”

Daphne nodded, unable to look back at her. Alexa’s presence was so serene. Her movements so delicate

“Why can’t you meet my eyes?”

“Whatever do you mean?” she asked, looking anywhere but to her.

In Daphne’s short time with her, she found that there were two ways to know whether Alexa knew something she didn't. Either Alexa would look at her and smile playfully, or she would advert her eyes continuously.

"Come on, what are you hiding Alexa?" Daphne said, a hint of playfulness evident in her tone.

"Nothing," she said, scooting back on the bed as Daphne got closer to her, increasing the tension between them.

Her dark eyes made the mistake of looking at hers because they locked them together. In that strange yet normal synchronization, they had. Daphne inched closer to her, trying to dig more into something that she knew about her. All Daphne had asked for was to how things were going, of course, with her intentions, but at the same time to know whether if Alexa’s going to tell her what's bothering her or not.

That thought, however, was pretty much erased by her intense stare.

Daphne’s eyes flickered, and she could feel her lips tugging into a smile as she came to know that Alex’s breath hitched. Too mesmerized by Daphne’s fervor.

"Tell me, or I'll do something you won't like," Daphne said, smirking now.

Alexa's brow rose in a challenge. "I won't."

"Oh. So you're challenging me." She raised one eyebrow.

"No, I..." She stammered until Daphne raised her arms as though she were a cat and directed them to her ribs.

Daphne started tickling her, changing from gentle to violent strokes.

_AHAHAHAHA! Revenge is mine! _

My tickling tactic doesn't seem to be successful because Alexa had no reaction but suddenly she thrashed around, trying to shake her off while laughing like there was no tomorrow. This was torture and she knew that.

_But what caused the late reaction?_

Maybe she attempted to fold her laughter in and failed. Bit her lips to stop the laugh from escaping. Tried not to squirm like a worm because she didn’t want to give Daphne the satisfaction of surrendering.

"No!" she screamed, "Stop!"

"Not until you tell me!"

"Seriously... stop!" she whispered shakily.

"What did you say?" Daphne asked a lot louder, "You're going to pee I bet."

In between all the movement, Alexa threw herself at Daphne, taking her off guard as Alexa pushed her to the mattress, and straddled her abdomen. Daphne became hyperaware of Alexa’s soft legs pressing against her thighs and her fingers pinning her wrists pinned on above her head.

"I told you to stop..." she whispered, almost too sultrily.

_Okay, maybe I'd gone too far._

Daphne searched her face for any telltale signs. Alexa’s eyes stared sadly as though something had deeply hurt her. Daphne didn't understand what was going on. Never had she seen the girl act like this at all. It made Daphne wonder what she did wrong.

Alexa lied down, her forehead on the mattress. Mindful of her heavy breaths against Daphne’s neck. It sent shivers down her spine.

_That was weird. Why didn't she simply get off already?_

Just when Daphne thought that Alexa had let go of her hand to shower, she was surprised when Alexa set her hand on her cheek. There was a strange gentleness from her, but Daphne felt a little bit helpless from her. Helplessness to something was going on.

_Maybe, I had gone too far and she simply wasn't up to it._

For a moment, they stayed there. Daphne wondered if she was to blame and Alexa thought about who knows what. Alexa was still for a while longer until she came back up and stared at Daphne with her dark pools, her face inches away.

There was strange melancholy reflected from there. It was so intense, like a star nearing its death. Something about them made Daphne feel uncomfortable, but at the same time, she never wanted it to end.

Daphne’s heart skipped a beat once, then twice and then a fast rhythm started going. She couldn't think straight, and at the same time, something made her incapable of looking away. Like any second now, Daphne can unlock the mysteries buried within.

"Hey," she said, "Can I go and shower now?"

_Huh? Why was she asking me for permission?_

Then she realized she was holding Alexa's hand tightly. She let go instantly.

"Oh! Yeah," Daphne muttered stupidly, "Go ahead."

Alexa moved off her and headed straight to the bathroom. She acted like nothing had happened. Daphne didn't say a word, but it seemed like it wasn't necessary, Alexa wasn't going to say anything either.

When she was gone, some kind of cold air around her body enveloped her. Daphne looked down to see why. Her jaw dropped when she saw how her towel had loosened around her. She tightened it immediately.

Standing up, she looked back at the bathroom door, wondering why Alexa acted the way she did. She felt hot all over and noticed the mirror on the vanity and looked at herself. Indeed her face was bright red, down to her neck. Disbelieving her eyes, she touched her face. Her cheeks warm, and all things aside, she felt her core moisten.

_Wait... but why?_


	4. Chapter 4

After dressing up, she was greeted by the pleasant smell of breakfast. Daphne arched a brow at herself, wondering how much time it took her to dress up.

She didn’t look at the time, fearing the information. She sped out the guest bedroom and found the kitchen easy enough after. Even though the house was empty, save for the two of them, Daphne took care to be quiet, just in case.

The kitchen was bright and quite sparsely furnished. The floor was checkered marble and the countertops were marble as well. Alexa stood there and opened a cupboard. It was empty aside from a small stack of china bowls and plates.

Some part of Daphne’s brain noted how cute Alexa looked in an emerald green blouse and a black skirt. The green blouse matched her gorgeous dark eyes.

_Oh my gosh. Was I checking her out? _

_No, I'm just a friend who always stares at her friend's beauty. _

_Yup, that's it. I wasn't checking her out. I was just comparing myself with her. _

_Wait, did I just consider her as my friend? _

_Yikes._

"I took you quite long just to dress up,” Alexa noted. “Have you been a naughty girl while I was gone?" she asked, winking.

Daphne rolled her eyes, preparing a blatant lie with a dramatic ironic flair. "I'm sorry, I got lost. I had to make a map as I wander onto uncharted territory."

Alexa chuckled, as she placed the last omelet on a plate. "Should have I given you a more specific direction?"

"You were already in the shower."

Alexa brought both plates to the table. Her eyes shining like a cat ready to pounce on her prey. "Why do you suddenly sound so shy? Just half an hour ago, you were confident, especially with your rocking bod."

Heat spread across her cheeks, reaching her ears. "Excuse you! You could’ve told me!"

_God! She enjoys teasing me! _

Alexa let out an amused chuckle after that. "I get your point, Daphne, but did you know that skinship is therapeutic?"

With a grumpy face, Daphne opted not to speak and sat on the table. Grabbing the fork and began eating her omelet, but Alexa's eyes stayed on hers, and it was making her awkward.

"Is there something you want?"

"Let me feed you."

"No way, Jose," Daphne said. "Not in your sickest fantasies."

Once they were done with breakfast, Daphne drove them back to school. She found a space at the parking lot easily which was weird because she usually always have the hardest time racing with the other students for space.

Alexa got off her car and Daphne made sure her car was locked first before placing a note on the driver's window. Daphne heard that car theft was apparent in the area and there were already three cases so she decided to do something.

> To potential robbers,
> 
> Don't rob my car. Why would you want to rob my car anyway when you can rob from someone more fortunate? I can tell you a list of what's inside if you decide I am that poor fortunate soul.
> 
>   * Air freshener cans
>   * A bag of my used clothes
>   * Trash
>   * Spare change
>   * Broken stereo
> 
> If any of these sound appealing to you, wait for me after school and ask me for it. It's better than trying to break my window.
> 
> Sincerely yours,
> 
> Car owner.

Alexa lingered and read the note. It made her laugh so hard, and it put a smile on Daphne's face.

They then walked to the hallways and Daphne could feel everyone who's everyone stare at them with shock mixed with curiosity and they even make their way for them in the hallway, like the way Moses parted the red sea. Daphne even heard gossips behind her back.

"Look, Cresswell's hanging out with Daphne Corona.”

"Aw shit. We can't get close to Daphne because of the bitch."

_What's so bad about her? Why they are all freaking scared of her? Did she do any monstrous after the day she cartwheeled on the stairs the first time I met her? _

If she did, Daphne wanted to know.

After getting to their lockers, Daphne parted ways with her, but Alexa didn't. Not until Alexa took the liberty to kiss her on the cheek, causing the onlookers to bulge their eyes out at the scene. Daphne herself felt like she was transported to another dimension.

With a sigh of bliss, Alexa skipped away to her first period.

"What's the meaning of that, Daphne?"

Her head turned towards the person in front of her. It was Elysia and her companion.

"I don't know," Daphne said truthfully as she tapped her feet from irritation. "Sometimes the girl is just too touchy-feely."

"Are you dating her?" Elysia's beanie friend asked.

"Dating?" she asked in disbelief. "No, she's a family friend. I merely gave her a ride to school."

"Oh," The dude said with relief. As they all did mirror the same expression with a smile, "For a second there, Daphne. We thought you're dating her."

Daphne arched an eyebrow. "Care to explain that one? Can't a girl like me have a friend without any rumors regarding the gays around me?" she asked with a wave of growing anger inside her gut.

"Calm down, Daphne," Elysia said. "That isn't what he meant." She raised a hand to defend themselves. "I mean, do you even know Alexa Cresswell?"

"She's the older sister of Alec, she's an orphan and a school's devil made Maddie Hart her worst enemy."

"Exactly!" Elysia shrieked a little but became wary of the tone of her voice and spoke softly. "But that's not the case. There's more to it. I warn you, Daphne. There's something about her that you should know."

"What is it?" She piqued Daphne's interest and the way she spoke was utterly tight-lipped.

"An old friend of ours used to date her."

"And? What happened to your friend?"

Daphne looked at her, and for the first time, she saw fear in Elysia's eyes. Elysia returned her look with intent before a soft expression came upon her face—one that almost said—

"Daphne!"

Alexa called her from behind. Daphne spun on her heel and stared at her with wide eyes. Elysia and her companion tensed up and slowly walked away.

"What is it?" Dahne asked her. "Did you forget something?"

"I might have," she said shyly. "Want to have dinner with me this Saturday? I want to thank you formally for the past two weeks. It's just nearby, so pretty please?"

Daphne weighed the options.

"I'll feed you," she added.

With a sneer sneered, Daphne smiled. "Alright!"

She giggled with quivering lips and glossed over eyes, "Great."

* * *

**_Daphne was_** in her third period that she shared with Alec and Apollo. They were still getting picked on and their teacher, who was about to have his retirement next year, ignored the childish behaviors of the class while he's teaching the story of Narcissus and Echo.

It was getting on Daphne's nerves that the teacher wasn't doing anything to solve the problem. Yet, it might have been a good thing that Apollo was learning how to defend himself. Whenever the teacher turned around to write on the board, Apollo would throw the piece of paper back to the attacker with double speed and strength. Often flipping them off.

"You see, Narcissus was a very handsome man. He even caught the eyes of an Olympian God, Apollo. "

Then one idiot from the class shouted, "Homo!" 

It caused the whole class to either wolf whistle or grin in disgust.

"Now, now," the teacher calmed them down. "The God Apollo had many lovers. Among them were women and men. In the times of Ancient Greeks, having a same-sex lover is perfectly normal. And having sex with the same sex was also considered healthy and morally acceptable. So as not to earn unwanted children and bastards. It was not until modern society that we, as a society, decided to deviate those norms and give it a name. Do you know what the popular term for people attracted to both sexes?" He asked.

Alec raised his hand. When the teacher acknowledged him, he answered, "Bisexuality."

"Right you are, Mr. Cresswell. Now..."

His voice became a blur.

Daphne rejoiced when lunchtime came and minutes into the hallway, Alexa was nowhere to be seen. A little grin formed on her lips because she can breathe with all of this space. As she sat at her usual table in the cafeteria, she finally felt the void in her heart grow bigger. She couldn't help but feel an excited bubble whenever she saw a similar dark-haired girl around. Yet she kept catching herself and rid herself of these thoughts.

Somehow content with her peace, a cloud of annoyance sprung when Elysia and her companion sat next to her again.

Daphne ignored them but they seemed to have an internal argument on who should try to talk to her.

Defeated, Elysia faced her. Her jaw tensed up as she swallowed air, "Daphne?" 

Daphne gave her a nod to acknowledge her. Though she still didn’t understand Elysia’s motives, Elysia was sure as hell she was about to rock the boat.

"Can you tell us the truth?" she continued.

"Am I obliged too? You're not exactly my mother." 

Elysia glared at her, done with her sarcastic games. "I'm being serious here."

Daphne let out a short sigh, defeated.

Elysia's lips were quivering, scared of what will come. "Are you in a relationship with Alexa Cresswell?" she asked, unable to control her volume. Her loud question caused the nearby students to turn their attention at them.

Daphne was taken aback by what she asked. "What?" she scoffed. "I told you, she's a family friend."

"But I saw you with her." Ren, the guy in a beanie said. "In Summerdale, in case you haven't known, I live across the road. I've seen you visit her two times. I also saw that you stayed the night with her last night."

There were silent gasps around. The whole student body moved like buzzing bees.

_Oh great. There's a new rumor that would circulate the campus and I am in it again._

"You should mind your own business, Ren." Daphne spat, anger laced in her voice.

"So, it's true then?" Elysia asked. "You're not denying it."

Daphne suddenly felt exhausted. Just having this conversation gave her immense pain. 

"She's a friend and I care for her. Why are you guys so nosy? You don't even know her."

"No, Daphne. _You_ don't know her."

Then they left, leaving Daphne in the wake of confusion and riddled with worry.

Daphne knew Alexa preferred girls. She can see it by the way Alexa would often flirt with her. But the girl's nothing else to her except a person that needs love. 

_She understands me, I understand her._

Daphne didn't want to admit it, but she was only with her because of her selfish need to be with someone who saw her a hero and someone immune to her sarcasm, unlike Elysia or Apollo or her parents.

People need to surround themselves with people who can make them more potentially great. One of those people for her was Alexa. 

_She makes me feel special because I am her hero. I am her defender._

It was ironic. Alexa’s name meant the defender of humankind.

And Alexa has taken good care of her as well. It felt good when Daphne had someone looking at her like she was her everything.

Daphne was busy daydreaming when she was kicked out of reverie by seeing a grinning Alec and Apollo seating across her table.

"Yes?" Daphne asked innocently as possible it nearly made her gag.

"How's life, Daphne?" Apollo asked.

Daphne arched a brow. "Better now that you're gone."

"I've always hated your straightforwardness." He said.

"I've always hated your arrogance." She retorted.

"Stop!" Alec interrupted, placing a hand on Apollo's shoulder. "We've come to her to talk." He reminded his boyfriend. "Not to fight."

"Says the guy who brought his boyfriend in front of his ex," Daphne countered.

Alec swore under his breath. "We just want to talk heart by heart."

"I think you meant 'heart to heart'?" Daphne crossed her arms with a smug plastered on my face, causing Apollo to glare at me and Alec to look like he was done with toddlers.

"Can we just talk about Alexa? I'm worried about my sister."

Her momentum shifted immediately. "What about her?"

"There are lots of rumors circulating the campus about her." Alec searched for her eyes and Daphne was forced to stare right back at them.

"Let me guess, I'm in it."

"Yes," Apollo said trying to outwit her game. "And the rumors speak so fondly about how you're dating her."

Daphne slammed the table, her appetite was forgotten. "I'm not dating her, she's a friend," she said with an edge. 

_This was the third time of the day I was confronted about this and it seriously began to make me furious._

"I've seen you two flirt with each other." Alec justified.

"It's just a friendly interaction." She countered.

"I know you're bi. I also know you're in the closet too."

The moment he said that anger darkened her eyesight. Daphne could feel an untamed beast roaring which resides near her heart. "Shut up," she spat. "I don't want to hear it."

"But you should, Daphne. I mean, my older sister feels something for you. Just don't get her hopes up too much if what you say is to be believed that she's just a friend."

"What are you trying to imply at, Cresswell?" she scoffed.

"I'm just saying if you hurt her, I will gut you myself."

"Wow," she rolled her eyes. "I feel severely threatened." 

Alec blinked as a thought streaked through his mind. Within moments, a large, beaming smile slowly spread across his face. "You like Alexa. You reciprocate my sister’s feelings!"

She couldn’t believe what came out of his mouth. Daphne cleared her throat, uneasily. "Call it what you will then. It's merely an aesthetic attraction."

"If you like Alexa more than what you think then it's fine."

"I don't like Alexa more than what you think." She corrected him, attempting to feel completely relaxed. "Alexa's a great girl, but there's nothing more than that. Alec, why does everyone keep on saying these things?"

"We only think what's best for you and seriously, Daphne. Call me a psychic or whatever, because, to me, you're an open book."

"No, that's what you think of what's best for me. All of you guys think of your ways of what's best for me. Elysia said that I should stay away from her and you said that we should be a couple. I'm not a child anymore; I know what to do in my life. I will make my own decisions."

Alec looked at her deadpan in the eyes. "Elysia did, didn't she? But have it ever occurred to you that she was only thinking what's best for you? I'm different than her, Daphne. I'm thinking of what's best for both of you. You and Alexa, you're my favorite girls. She already has it out for my sister. Alexa didn't make a good first impression on people around here."

"She likes to provoke people," Apollo added in. "I was among the people who also hated her, you know."

"I know, babe," Alec said. "But it's just my sister's attitude. She's not a bad person."

Daphne quickly scratched her head from confusion. "Give me some time."

The couple looked at her questioningly.

"I need to gather some time before I consider or disregard it. Give me some time and we'll see."

For a moment, Alec cast his eyes downward, almost as if he was trying to conceal some kind of disappointment. Apollo leaned over gingerly and gave his boyfriend a small pat on the shoulder, a reassurance of some sort.

“Do you believe in curses, Daphne?” Alec asked, out of the blue.

Daphne blinked. “Where did that come from?”

Undeterred, Alec shrugged. “It’s the theme of the next short story for our Literature class.”

Daphne never knew that Alec was the type that would talk about literature at all. But perhaps he was, and Daphne couldn’t just believe that Alec would want to talk to her about it. 

“I guess… if it were real, it’s a pain in the ass. Even without curses, we already feel small, imprisoned by our hurdles and cages. Who is to say that curses don’t exist at all? Life is a curse, the moment we are born. God has cursed the land so we have to cultivate it to bear us food. God has cursed women to bleed every month. Curses are blight.”

“That’s true,” Alec said, his voice lowering in tone and his whole body drooped. “Have Alexa told you how our parents died?”

Daphne shook her head.

“Our father died in a fire,” he began, his eyes already turning misty. 

Apollo held his hand in comfort. His lover’s touch momentarily surged him with the strength to continue relaying the events that occurred all those years ago that left him and his sister orphaned. 

“Our mother noticed the house was burning that night before any of us. She was at the study when she realized a good portion of the house was engulfed with flames. She saved us first. It was too late for Father. But she went back inside for him. There was no one else that could have helped us. We were alone in our vacation home in the mountains, and she didn’t come out.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays! I hope everybody's having a good time.

Two days have passed since the day Alec and Apollo gave her much time to think about their suggestion. Daphne took solace in her room in front of her computer doing her homework for Monday on a Friday night.

Daphne didn't know what motivated her. Perhaps the feeling of spending the weekend with Alexa was just too exciting.

All she can say regarding the subject matter was that it's very unlikely. Daphne can't see herself with Alexa. The visions of what will happen already playing in her head as soon as her parents found out about it. Her mother would freak out and her father... well, she had no idea. All she knew was that her father has little patience with phases but he's tolerant at times.

_And it's not like there are sparks between Alexa and me. _

"Daphne!"

"I'm coming, mom!" she stood up from the computer chair and outstretched her spine and arms before exiting her room and down the stairs to the kitchen.

The whole family was complete. Her Dad, a university professor, her Mom, a pastry chef and her older brothers, Lorcan, and Logan who are certified troublemakers. 

They were having steak, mashed potatoes, gravy, and peas for dinner and there were small pies and macaroons on the side for dessert.

_Yum. _

Daphne never knew she was starving until the sweet-smelling aroma invaded her nostrils nor her eyes landed on the feast.

"Dude, what's your malfunction?" Logan asked his twin.

Slapping a palm against his forehead in frustration, Lorcan ran over to the plate of food and stuck his fork into the mashed potatoes, before flinging it in Logan's direction.

"Lorcan, just accept that you lost..."

"Boys, please!" Dad said in brimming patience. "Your mother prepared this food for us with love and hard work, don't just play with it."

"I'm pleased with you darling, oh honey!" Mom’s eyes brightened as she looked at her direction. "It feels like I have never seen you for days! I've forgotten to ask you the other day. How's the overnight with the late Mr. and Mrs. Cresswell's daughter?"

"Her name is Alexa mom, and it was fine," Daphne said, twirling her spoon in the mashed potato swimming in gravy. "I already returned the clothes she let me borrow."

"Wait, hold on," Logan asked, vying for attention. "You mean... Daphne stayed the night at Alexa Cresswell's house?"

Mom swallowed her food first before answering. "Yes, she did."

_Ugh. I rolled my eyes. Of course, my brothers would know the rumors circulating the school. I'm pretty famous that way._

"Mom," Lorcan said with a hint of maliciousness. "Did you know that Alexa Cresswell is gay?"

"Gay?"

"Gay can be also be referred to lesbians, mom," Daphne explained to her before she drank her cranberry juice.

It didn't take too long for Mom looked alarmed. "But she's just a friend, isn't she, honey?"

"Who cares if there's something more to Daphne's relationship with Cresswell's daughter?" Dad interjected in the conversation. "At least, Daphne's gotten over with her ex and the poor girl has someone in her life."

Daphne bulged her eyes out. This wasn't how she foresaw the future. Or the customary family dinner every weekend to go. She never knew her father would have such strong convictions about queer people.

Mom was speechless but she managed to maintain her cool before saying. "But they are just friends. I let Daphne stay there for companionship with the poor girl because you said we're indebted to her father. Not to let my daughter be harassed by a lesbian!"

"She didn't harass me, mom," Daphne said harshly, defending the girl as always for she was her self-appointed defender. "And she never will. She's a good friend, unlike my cheap sake brothers." She glared at Logan and Lorcan for good measure but the twins merely sniggered at her direction. "She's being bullied in school because of who she is."

Mom nodded, guilt settling in after understanding the situation of the girl that she carelessly blamed for something irrational. Dad and the boys watched them in silence.

"Mind you," Daphne continued, taking her fork and knife to slice her ham. "She might have a crush on me but for your sake, I'm not going to visit her in her home anymore."

"Why not?" Dad interfered again. "If you reciprocate the girl's feelings, I'm totally on board with it."

Mom dropped her jaw to the table upon hearing what her husband said. "What is wrong with you?"

"No, darling," he said. "What is wrong with you?"

"I'm not talking about this." Mom said with an edge. 

"I'm totally on board with letting Daphne hang out with the lesbian," Logan said while Lorcan chuckled. The two were testing mom's limit and because of that, she took their month's allowance.

"What huge favor are you indebted with Cresswell that you would go through all this anyway?" Mom's questions put Dad off-guard. Daphne knew it wasn't money, but it can't be a simple favor at all and even Mom was getting suspicious.

Dad sipped water from his glass, thinking of ways to answer it. "You wouldn't know, darling."

"Of course, because you don't tell me." Mom said, although she was close to yelling, she wasn't angry. Just frustrated at the secrets.

For a moment there, they forgot they were conversing at the dinner table where their children can hear them.

"Did you wronged him?" Mom continued. "Is that why you're desperate to make right?"

"Perhaps," he said, his eyes refusing to meet everyone's gazes.

No words shall be spoken about it until then.

* * *

**_"You have_** beautiful eyes, Daphne."

"Umm... thanks?" Daphne didn't know how to react properly to her compliment with newly founded devotion.

_Well. It's her fault. She keeps looking at me weirdly. _

Daphne shivered from head to toe as she looked down at her.

"I want to touch them." She said. "They're so deep and icy like a storm out in the sea."

"How can you even do that?" Daphne asked as she brushed away Alexa’s hand that looked like she wanted to poke her eyeballs.

Alexa persisted to continue gazing at her eyes in wonder. She even brushed Daphne’s blonde hair out of her face and tucked them behind her ear. A gesture that caused Daphne’s ears to burn.

"Remind me why you're here again?" Daphne asked. All she knew was that she went to her room after dinner, brushing her teeth in her washroom, and the next thing she knew. There Alexa was, grinning as she watched her, perfectly seated on her bed.

"I wanted to visit you. Your mom answered the door and permitted me to get in your room." She bit her lower lip. "It was so worth it to visit you because I get to see you in your house clothes."

Daphne pressed her lips in a thin line and scrunched up her nose. The house clothes she was referring to was were tank top and bloomers. "Shut up! I look like a mess. Why would you want to see me in that?"

Alexa clicked her tongue. "You saw me in my house clothes. I think it's only fair that I get to see you in yours."

Daphne jutted her chin and thrust out her chest, to make herself look intimidating. "Is that the only reason why?"

Alexa gaped at the sight of her. 

_Good, exactly the reaction I was hoping from her. But on second thought, I figured out she was checking me out._

As it was her upper hand, Daphne began teasing. "What's wrong Alexa? Cat got your tongue?"

Alexa’s throat was suddenly clogged by air. She gulped then turned bright pink. Like a panther, Daphne walked towards her and purposely lowering my chest area to her eye level to show her some cleavage. 

"Do you like what you see?" Daphne slurred her words, almost purring.

Alexa’s eyes glossed over with her full attention glued to her. Daphne leaned closer to her, mesmerized as well. Alexa was a mess because she was sitting down, Daphne towered over her. Daphne had the vantage point. 

_Oh my gosh! She looks so cute._

There was just something so mesmerizing about Alexa and her eyes were blazing hotly like a supernova. It melted Daphne’s heart. She just couldn't hold back anymore, Daphne locked eyes with her and she couldn't help but stare at her lips. Alexa’s breathing hitched as she curled her toes, preparing for the contact.

Daphne couldn’t wait to get a taste of her lips. Her heartbeat quickened its pace until it disappeared within a blink of an eye. The door shot open, the sound of it jarring open held both of them in place. Daphne remained petrified upon seeing her mother with a tray of juice and cupcakes, gawking at the two of them in a compromising position.

_OH SHIT!_

"I'm sorry. Am I interrupting something?" Mom asked alarmingly in a sweet voice.

"No! Of course not!" Daphne stood up blushing madly and took the tray from her and pushed her out the door. "Thanks for the treats mom, bye!" 

Mom seemed hesitant to leave but Daphne shut the door. The slam echoed all around the house. Daphne locked it and leaned back on the wood for good measure.

Alex’s gaze remained on her as she stood up then walked over to her and helped herself with the glass of apple juice and the Minecraft cupcake Daphne’s mother was solemnly proud of.

"What just happened?" Daphne asked. Alexa shrugged as she munched on her treat.

* * *

**_Daphne’s eyes_** fluttered open with the sound of sniggering on the side of her bed on a Saturday morning. She also had trouble breathing like something heavy pressed against her chest.

She flinched slightly, taken back by the surprise.

Alexa was on top of her, like a cat who somehow decided that the best place to sleep was on top of their owner’s head. Daphne gently nudged her off her and the images of her brothers laughing beside her became opaque.

With her face probably drooling and red, she bolted her upper body to sit. "What are you two doing here? Did you pick the lock on my door!”

"Daphne,” Logan began his tone a little malicious. “The real question is: what are you two doing?"

"Wait till mom hears about this," Lorcan warned, his tone playful enough to warrant that there was no threat at all. Just genuine teasing.

Even so, Daphne’s belly roared as annoyance took prevalence. She shifted her gaze to the girl beside her, sleeping like a contented angel. 

_Lucky me. _

With her experience sharing a bed with Alexa, it will a train horn to wake her up. Daphne could slaughter her brothers without Alexa waking up. She will revel in it.

"Mom was hysterical last night," Logan said. Getting himself comfortable in her computer's chair. "She came down from your room to dad while we watch the basketball match to report what she saw the two of you doing."

"Yes." Lorcan grinned ear to ear. "She was rather speechless and paler than I'd ever seen her."

Daphne let out rather a childish whimper at them. "Whatever she said was something she misunderstood." She cupped her face and pulled her skin from a prolong facepalm. "What did she say?"

"They were going to kiss!" Lorcan mimicked their mother in both voice and action. "Daphne was the one taking charge! She was seducing the Cresswell’s daughter."

"And dad was so amused that he was laughing while comforting mom because he says that he didn't know he had it in you to be dominant." Logan continued.

"I'm not gay," Daphne didn’t know why she was arguing with this blatant lie.

"Pfft, you're bi then." Lorcan countered.

"I'm not bisexual."

"Fine!" Lorcan continued. "You're Alexa-sexual then."

Chewing on her lower lip, now unsure of herself, she merely responded with a simple: "What the fuck?"

"No," Logan tutted in disagreement. "The correct term is Demisexual, and I'm pretty sure our sister's not demi."

"What's that attracted to demigods?" The older twin asked.

Then a sudden musical laugh echoed the room. Daphne stared in disbelief at Alexa who woke up from her sleep. She was lying on her stomach so she used her hand to help her raise her back to sit

_Were we loud as a train horn?_

“Body clock,” Alexa murmured, rubbing her eyes as if she had read the question that plagued Daphne’s head. “You guys weren’t noisy, I assure you.”

Alexa’s unbelievably stunning morning appearance doesn’t exactly help her though. Daphne was frozen on the spot. She can’t move a single muscle. Alexa wearing Daphne’s extra shirt was too damn sexy. Daphne only began to giggle at the sight of Alexa’s bed hair.

She pouted at her for laughing at her but she faced the twins. "From what I know, demisexuality is being attracted to Demi Lovato.”

More barrels of laughter erupted from the three of them. Daphne wanted to disappear out of thin air.

"Wait," Daphne said quickly, turning to Alexa as realization dawned on her. "You heard all our conversation?"

"No," she said with a grumpy tone. Upset that she was awake early in the morning.

Displeased at herself, Daphne decided not to provoke her and faced her brothers with a scrutinized stare. "What are you guys doing here anyway?"

"Oh, we were here to tell you that—"

"Kids! Breakfast's ready!"

"Beaten quickly," Lorcan said and smacked Logan by the back. "Let's go."

As soon as they were gone Daphne massaged her aching temples.

"You look funny," Alexa commented.

She slowly craned her neck r and saw her lying down again like a model. Daphne playfully slapped her on her thighs and threw her feet on the side of her bed. "Let's go!"

"Go for what?" she asked in a muffled voice.

"Breakfast," Daphne said pulling her out of the bed and into her feet. "Come on, make yourself presentable. My parents are going to formally meet you."

The moment Daphne finished saying that, Alexa's features turned bright pink.

Sensing her uneasiness, Daphne knitted her brows together and tried to ease her nervousness. “Don’t worry, they will love you.”

After gathering their bearings, they descended the stairs together and Alex took this opportunity to hold her hand.

As soon as they entered the kitchen, Daphne became wary of her mother’s mindful stare on the two of them. Daphne released her hand and started the introduction.

"Uh... mom, dad," Daphne shifted towards her guest awkwardly. "This is Alexa Cresswell."

She refused to see their reactions but it would be rude not to. Alexa introduced herself, nodding her head. "Hi, yes, it’s nice to meet you."

Dad had a bright face and a twinkle in his eye. "So you're the Cresswell firstborn."

_I cringed at the archaic term for the eldest child but dad was a nerd so it shows._

Alexa met Dad's gaze with some sort of familiarity, and for some reason, Daphne wondered if they met each other beforehand rather than hear about each other through Alexa's dad.

"Quite a clash of genes aye?" he bantered.

Daphne made herself chuckle to lessen the tension that infiltrated the air.

If this was Dad’s way to say Alexa was pretty then why make it smooth with biology? Well, he wasn’t a biologist professor for nothing. Mom, on the other hand, looked like she's in between delight and displeasure. Frowning at the fact that her only daughter has a gay friend over and thrilled to see her befriending someone.

Breakfast was more awkward. Daphne’s jaw strained, annoyed at the fact everyone was slowly there were sparks between them and that they must mention it every once in a while. Her brothers kept pestering Alexa with questions if she's single and ready to mingle. Daphne could strangle two snakes like baby Hercules.

"Yes," Alexa said. "I think I might need someone right now."

Logan hollered. "Are there any traits or types you prefer?"

"Well..." she smirked, knowing fully well what Daphne’s brother was insinuating. “If you need confirmation then yes, I'm into girls."

The moment she said that everyone eyed her warily while busying themselves with their sandwiches.

"You're not uncomfortable about it, are you?" she asked, hopefully.

"No," Dad said amusedly "As long as it's not a phase. Only the moon has them, you know?"

Mom was red in the face, her jaw wide open until she managed to echo dad's answer.

"But I get it that you're uncomfortable ma'am," Alexa said.

"Well," she shrugged, finally started being honest. "You can't blame me though. I grew up in a strict household. But I have nothing against them—or you. And you’re quite respectful, unlike my boys."

Lorcan and Logan merely smirked in her direction.

Alexa nodded and began to munch on her sandwich. Her face contorted to the same expressionless face Daphne saw her wore the first week she met her. Back to the creepy cute stalker she once knew. 

_Wait, cute? Well, she is a cutie. And she's a creepy stalker. Wonder how I got over her stalker-ish ways._

If they weren’t in the company of her family at all, Daphne might have run her knuckles over Alexa’s cheeks, close against smooth skin. 

Daphne can’t help but wish, she was having breakfast with Alexa back in Summerdale, where they could be alone, uninterrupted.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Very late update. Smut next chapter along with some plot, of course.

"Sorry about my mom," Daphne mumbled the moment she escorted Alexa back inside her bedroom.

"It's okay. At least, she fed me and allowed us to be friends." Her lips curved genuinely with her insignia harlequin smile. "I am thankful enough, Daphne."

Daphne’s cheeks heated. She can't help but stare back at her. She found the will to break the contact and stared out the window and at her desk clock. 

"Judging by your facial expression, you look like you want to get out of here.”

“I do.” Anything to get out of the house. Daphne had no idea what Alexa was made of to be able to cause all the flowing emotions that pulsed inside her and even aroused ones she had never known existed. “Do you want to go watch a movie?” she asked.

“Sure.”

"You want to shower first?” Daphne asked, feeling the pressure of carrying the conversation.

Alexa shook her head, as a sudden grin appeared on her lips. "I'll take a shower after you. I wouldn’t want to miss another nudity showcase."

_Oh wow, why? Why is she teasing me? I want to die on a hole somewhere._

It didn’t stop Alexa from chuckling to her heart’s content. 

Daphne was about to grab her, choke her, or something. Anything to get that damned grin off her pretty face; however, a yell stopped her from outside her window.

"Hey! You guys okay?" 

Daphne took three long strides and drew the curtain of her window. "Yeah, don't worry. Alexa merely scared me that is all."

"Oh, alright," Lorcan chuckled with Logan. They were both moving the lawn and watering the plants simultaneously. "That was loud enough to wake up the whole neighborhood. Now shut it."

"Fine then," Daphne told him. Looking around she realized how her room was tidier than usual for some reason, no wonder why she could walk around a lot easier.

* * *

**_Once they_** reached the car, Daphne stared at her phone, disbelieving that it was past lunchtime. The movie they selected took three hours. No wonder her stomach was rumbling. 

Seeing that Alexa was settled, Daphne started the engine, it revved and worked on the gear shift.

"What's this place called again?" Daphne asked as she drove them out of the movie’s parking lot.

Alexa sighed from the passenger seat. Not annoyed, but more as if she was disturbed. "I'll just tell you the way once we're there."

At that, Daphne drove with no further words. It did seem Alexa wasn't up to saying anything. Right then, Daphne felt a huge lump in her throat. 

_What would it be that Alexa would stay quiet about?_

A stray hand reached Daphne’s thighs and she nearly hit the brake. Alexa smiled at her direction, probably sensing what Daphne was muddled about. Alexa gave her a nod, indicating that no matter what was going to happen, she was going to be there with her

Alexa directed the way to an Asian teashop two blocks away from Summerdale. Upon finding a space, Daphne parked her car then turned the engine off. This was her first time entering something like this. She preferred the ambiance of coffee places most of all, not a fan of tea.

They stepped out of the car. Alexa jumped over the small white fence and skirted around the edge of the garden. Being the modest one, Daphne locked the car and went to the road leading to the shop.

There was a cashier in the middle with the menu on the wall. The place was small but it has such an inviting atmosphere from well decorated with vintage and modern items with tables similar to the low ones that are commonly associated with the Japanese. There were also regular tables with comfortable chairs on the left side. There were only a couple of customers.

"You want some ordinary tea or the one with some Boba?" Alexa asked. "They also have some pasta or confectionaries here."

It was slow for Daphne to process everything so she answered, "I'll have what you have."

"Sure," she said and took out some cash on her wallet as she placed her order at the cashier.

After paying, Alexa guided her to one of the low tables and they sat with pillows on the floor.

"What can you say about this place?" Alexa asked, stirring up a conversation. "I always hang out here, because it gives you a more kawaii vibe."

“I didn’t know there were more selections than professional or non-professional coffee shop vibes,” Daphne said with a smile. Looking around, the shop was decorated with a bunch of stuff toys and colorful items, like they were endorsing a brand. A plasma TV was on the wall, showing the latest music trends on the loop. 

“I’d say. Asian tea isn't quite famous here as much as coffee and English inspired tea shops. I bet only a few know this place.”

Alexa laughed at her answer and Daphne’s heart soared upon knowing that she was the one that caused it. 

"But you can't deny it's cute, sweet, and inviting."

Daphne smirked, "Perhaps."

A couple of minutes, their buzzer went off and Alexa volunteered to grab their drinks. When she came back, Daphne saw that she ordered two hot beverages and two purple-colored cakes.

"Here you are." Alexa gave me a cup of herbal tea. “These are not your ordinary Lipton tea. This is chamomile. I figured I have to introduce you slowly.”

Sighing, Daphne took a sip, which resulted in a fit of coughing.

"What's wrong?" She asked as her eyes focused on her.

Daphne wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and stuck out her tongue. "This is awful-tasting. What weird herbs are in this concoction of yours?"

Alexa shrugged. "It's just made from tea leaves. But if you find it so bitter, I'll go get you something."

She watched as Alexa went to the cashier and asked for something, muttering about having to deal with me on a sugar-rush. Inwardly, Daphne sighed and took the chance to study her drink. It was bitter tasting than what she had before. Bringing the cup to her nose, she noticed that it also smelled different. Not by too much—it was still herbal-smelling, but there was an extra unrecognizable scent to it.

Alexa returned and poured the honey on my tea and stirred it for me. Daphne didn't take her for being a gentle-lady. 

"Drink up Daphne." She said, after taking down the spoon.

This time around, Daphne took a tentative sip and nodded in approval. "Ah, this is much better. What did you do to make it this sweet?"

"I added honey." Alexa raised her eyebrows as if it should be obvious, "A lot."

"Well, this is much better." Daphne smiled as she took another two gulps, hiding the fact that her cheeks burned right now for being stupid. 

_What did I expect? That she did some magic stuff on my tea? I'm unbelievable._

Daphne took a bite with her cake, trying to discern what flavor it was. It wasn't grapes or berries, that's for sure. Not chocolate or pure vanilla. It tasted a bit like vanilla but slightly nutty. 

"What flavor is this?"

Alexa looked up and licked the icing on the corner of her mouth. "It's a sweet potato called purple yam."

"Some people make cakes out of roots?"

Alexa giggled as she took some tissue to wipe her cheek. "What can I say, people, are resourceful."

_I should ask mom about this flavor. Maybe she knows about this._

Daphne took a sip of her tea once more, pondering on the tea's aftertaste. Even with the honey, the last gulp was a tad too bitter for her particular preferences. Perhaps because the bitter parts of the leaves stayed below.

After her tea was done, Alexa spoke up. "I'm ordering myself some more tea, you?"

"Aww, geez... Sure, I would love another cup of tea." she retorted, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

With a chuckle, Alexa booped her nose across the table. "I'll get you something sweeter this time. Try winter melon bubble tea." 

Daphne stared at her, confused. "Watermelon?"

"No." 

Daphne must have looked apprehensive about it when she assured her. 

"I promise you, it's the best seller."

It didn’t stop her from frowning. If it was sweet as she had said, Alexa should have bought her that earlier but then again, it was her fault for saying that she will have the same of whatever Alexa will have.

When the next beverages came, Daphne stared curiously at her drink. It was a large plastic glass of milk tea with tapioca pearls. Alexa had been anticipating her to drink it. Daphne hadn't kept her waiting. As soon as the beverage touched her tongue, she found, it has a sweetness that just complimented the tea.

"It's delicious!" she squealed like a little child, causing Alexa to be amused at her. "I'm serious! I've never tasted any of this!" She started drinking once more. It doesn't scare me, I'm immune to brain freeze.

"Well, I’m glad that you liked it, Daphne.” She said the tension has finally left her shoulders. “Careful on the pearls, it’s a choking hazard for first-timers.”

“Then why put it there?”

“You bite into it, a few times before swallowing, that’s the whole point of tapioca pearls.”

Daphne followed the instructions, enjoying the little snack in her drink. She loved that she can drink and eat something at the same time in a cup. Taking pleasure in the flavor that stuck on my tongue when Alexa dropped a bomb.

“To tell you the truth Daphne, I own this shop and I was planning to tell you that I—”

“WHAT?” she nearly spat the pearls in her throat, disrupting Alexa's train of speech.

A curious brow rose, but Alexa just went about it. “The family has a lot of business ventures, I took over the smallest one. Easier to manage. The only problem I have is advertising. This neighborhood doesn’t have a lot of its target audience, one of the business ideas my brother told me was to completely change it.”

Daphne quickly grabbed a tissue to dap her lips. “Then why did you guys ever built this place?”

“That’s because of my grandparents from my mother’s side are born Taiwanese before they left. I was the only one who wanted to preserve our East Asian culture.”

“Oh.” Daphne murmured under her breath. She tightened her grip on Alexa's hand, unable to say anything else. Daphne might not understand Alexa’s struggles as much, she had a vague idea.

Immigrants and their families sacrifice a lot and suffer alienation. They erase their identity to fit in. Do anything to adapt to the culture in the new land. When in Rome, do what Romans do. The old passage used to mean one should follow the rules and customs of the land, but now it can also mean something different. It was all about survival. Adapt or be ostracized. It was ugly. But it was the truth.

Alexa stared at her with the confusion that Daphne bet she had as well. 

"Forgot about my grandparents, I didn't mean to bring the conversation there at all." She said as warm red tinge bloomed in her face. "I have something to ask you, Daphne.”

Her lips unexpectedly felt dry. "What is it?"

Even if she didn't say anything, Daphne could sense there was a question lurking behind her deep dark eyes. She opened her mouth, but quickly shut it. The question remained unasked. But the tension in the air continued to expand.

Exponentially.

Alexa swallowed the lump in her throat and felt a great pain tear through her heart. "You're going to hate me, Daphne. But I...."

"Alexa..." she started. "That’s not a question. Go on, ask me."

Each word Daphne uttered felt like a dagger pushed deeper into Alexa. Daphne could see there was a deep and intense conflict waging itself in the girl’s head. When she had spoken only a few moments earlier, Daphne could have sworn she heard the raw pain in her voice.

"Daphne..." Alexa began again. "Do you like me? Because I do, I do like you. Very much."

She arched a brow, questioningly. “This is it? This is the question that has been lurking in your eyes, Alexa? This is the question you have been so terrified of asking me? No, I know you. There's something else underneath it all. You're still hiding something.”

"That depends," Alexa said, gathering up the courage. "You just need to discover it along the way."

"You're not a killer, are you?" she asked, causing Alexa to crack a smile.

"The last time I checked, the only things I killed are weeds and ants in my kitchen."

Daphne licked her lips. Even though she knew that there was a small percent of Alexa having a crush on her, she still rejoiced at the fact.

_What were we supposed to say to each other? Did we even have to?_

_Maybe I have to._

Daphne swallowed a lump that formed in her throat, knowing that at least time, she would be giving her the absolute truth of the situation. "I like you too."

The sight that greeted her next excited her. Alexa flushed. So cute with her shiny straight black hair, pink full lips, and delicate features. At that moment, Daphne found her beautiful—so beautiful that she felt a fluttering sensation in her stomach.

Only this time, it was more real than ever.

And just like that, the question in Daphne’s eyes was gone, replaced by a soft knowing smile. She leaned in, inch by inch closer to her. Alexa shivered because of Daphne’s warm breath and kissed her long on the lips just for being so wonderful. It took Alexa by surprise.

Alexa whimpered, she tried to stay still but she can’t. The shivering of her hands against Daphne’s body and the feeling of this strange warmth holding onto her was what reminded her that there was nothing she could do anymore.

As soon as their first kiss finished, Daphne felt her heart drum like a horde of warhorses charging.

"Whoa," Alexa said, her face ten shades of red. "I didn't know you'd do that in public."

"Well," Daphne placed the straw of her drink between her lips and winked. "This time, my mom's not here.”

Alexa chuckled a little and leaned forward. Her words were soft in a whisper. “Want to head out to my place afterward?"

Daphne gulped. The denotation didn’t fly past her head. Alexa’s face muddled with lust and Daphne could feel her insides twisting in excitement.


	7. Chapter 7

Daphne didn’t wait. As soon as Alexa closed her front door, her hands reached for Alexa’s elegant body. With a gasp, Alexa was confused to see Daphne’s face inches away from her. 

Alexa allowed her to be held in her arms. Then Alexa brought her soft tender lips to hers. Daphne liked this slow light kiss from her. She kissed her moist scented lips back. 

After a while, they broke off and gazed into each other’s eyes. Their foreheads met. Daphne touched her face lightly, running her thumbs over her pink cheeks. Her thick silky black hair brushed over Daphne’s forearms as they stood close, facing each other. 

“Do you want to take me here or in my room?” she asked, biting her lip.

Daphne’s face burned from the embarrassment and the lust that overwhelmed her body, but they headed to the second-floor bedroom without any haste. She couldn’t control herself any longer and let her desire to take control. 

Gently placing a tilting hand on Alexa’s nape, she pulled her closer and crushed their lips together. Alexa’s hands held her shoulders as she kissed her with unbridled passion, letting out tiny noises that made Daphne’s eyes roll back into her head, her hands exploring her lover’s shape.

_God. I need air. But I don’t want to let go._

As Daphne’s hands came back to tug the shirt up and over Alexa’s head, her heart quickened and the desire pooled over. She straddled Alexa’s hip. She could barely see anything but soon she would

Arching upward, Alexa tried to wordlessly beg for Daphne to stop teasing her, but the blonde just moved her fingertip to circle her left nipple. Just as Alexa felt like she couldn’t get any more worked up, Daphne took her other nipple into her mouth, roughly running a wet tongue over the peak.

Alexa grabbed a fistful of blonde hair, holding Daphne’s head against her breast, her other hand still firmly on the girl’s behind, using it to keep Daphne pressed against her. Daphne’s right hand moved from Alexa’s chest down over her stomach, until it was running along the waistband of her shorts. Unable to summon the dexterity to pull them down, and not willing to tell Alexa she wanted to stop, she simply whined and thrust her hips down into Alexa’s pelvic bone, begging her to take care of the problem.

It did the trick. Alexa moved her hands down to undo the belt herself, flinging it to the side. She did it without breaking eye contact, causing Daphne to gulp air. Alexa was the one stripping, yet Daphne was the one blushing.

Once every piece of her clothing was gone, Alexa’s beauty knocked her over. She was breathtaking and stunning. In every single way.

With newfound lust, Daphne resumed her ministrations. Hips rolling forward, hands roaming around, eager to explore her form, she gave a soft kiss to her shoulder, down the valley of her breasts and to her stomach.

“Don’t be afraid to be rough,” Alexa whispered.

Fully consented, Daphne dug her fingers into Alexa’s back. The pressure was enough to leave a mark. Daphne began to travel further down, Alexa’s slammed her eyes shut, and her chest heaving as she tossed her head back, letting out a throaty moan. She threw her free arm around Daphne’s shoulders.

“Daphne…” she whined, opening her eyes to look at her with unbridled hunger.

It was enough to make the blonde lose control. Capturing her girlfriend’s mouth once again, Daphne bit her soft lower lip. She swept her tongue over the small indents she’d left, before forcing her way into Alexa’s mouth. 

Their teeth collided with the ferocity of the kiss, but Alexa seemed to ignore it. Daphne continued to probe the cool wetness, alternating between nipping at Alexa’s lips and moving her tongue in ways that made her whimper.

But Alexa wanted more. 

“Mark me,” she rasped. “Make me yours.”

Daphne bit into her shoulder, and tugged on the mass of black hair in her grasp, exposing the stretch of soft skin at her lover’s neck and bit on it next. A little bit harder than the other. Running her nails lightly across her lover’s stomach, she felt the muscles jumping underneath as Daphne nibbled gently on her earlobe.

“Touch me,” she said.

“I am touching you,” Daphne retorted gently.

Alexa shook her head. Daphne knew what she meant. Her stomach did somersaults at that thought. With new determination, she found Alexa’s nub with relative ease, feeling it harden with all the pent up desire churning in her.

She plunged two of her fingers inside Daphne’s moist core. Alexa responded by digging her nails into the thick fabric of Daphne’s shirt. Alexa tightened around her fingers. She knew enough to know what that meant, and Daphne sped her movements, curling her fingers in with every thrust. She made sure that her thumb would touch Alexa’s clit as she did so. Daphne continued until her wrist began cramping slightly. 

“Harder please,” Alexa whispered.

She ignored her discomfort and kept angling her fingers with the spot that made new, quiet moans spill from Alexa’s lips. Daphne could feel Alexa’s hot breath on her cheek as she panted. Making tiny sounds of pleasure that drove her wild.

“DAPHNE HARDER!”

Her moans echoed off the walls as she came, back arching off the bed, the action causing Daphne to push her finger deep into Alexa. Then Alexa’s grip on her shoulder became impossibly tight. Her back arched. 

Daphne quickly lifted her head. She had to see this. She had to see that she made her come. 

Alexa’s eyes were still closed, and her chest was rising and falling then her fingers got coated in her juices. As soon as the high end, Alexa’s body went limp. Daphne slowly removed her fingers from inside her.

“My turn to top,” she said with a smirk.

She was taken by surprise when Alexa, with a strength fueled primarily by pure want, threw herself against Daphne hard enough that she stumbled and fell backward, pulling her lover down with her. 

Landing with a thud on the floor, Daphne didn’t even have a second to recover before Alexa’s lips were on hers again, her hands tugging at the belt around her waist, growling when she couldn’t find the clasp.

Alexa helped her remove all of her clothing. There was a moment of awkwardness. A moment of flushing when she was completely bare in front of Alexa for the first time, but when she came to herself Daphne reached up to tuck strands of dark black hair that had escaped back behind Alexa’s ear. 

Gently tracing her fingertips down soft skin, she placed a hand behind Alexa’s neck, playing with the little curls she found there. She saw how Alexa’s legs parted and locked around her torso. 

Alexa didn’t delay, dragging her mouth down to a rapidly fluttering pulse point on her neck. She continued to trail a path downwards along Alexa’s jaw to her stomach. She pressed her tongue flat against Daphne’s hard nub without further ado.

“Fuck,” she mumbled.

“Pardon?” Alexa stopped, just to tease her.

“D-don’t stop,” she breathed with a glare. “Stop teasing.”

“What if I don't want to?"

A low rumble rose from her throat. Daphne had no idea she was capable of growling.

Her sound seemed to turn Alexa on. "The way you pout and the way you flush under my weight makes you so delectable, I can’t just stop teasing you.”

“Whatever,” Daphne rolled her eyes. Despite the annoyance that bubbled within her, it didn’t dissuade her core to moisten. If ever, she seemed to appear more ready than ever.

Alexa chuckled, noticing it as well. She gave her slit a hard long like and sucked her hard nub hard, before soothing it with a kiss. 

Daphne’s fingers threaded through her hair and kept her lover closer, more aware of herself than she had ever been before. 

_God, Alexa knew exactly what to do. _

Alexa found a perfect rhythm and kept that exact pace. The tip of her nose brushed against her clit with each thrust. Her eyes were squeezed shut and she was biting her bottom lip. 

_She has set a fire inside me and I want her to keep pouring more gasoline._

Alexa sped up her movements until Daphne was screaming into the ceiling. Her whole body quaked as pleasure reached its peak.

Minutes passed before Daphne opened her eyes, feeling the tiny aftershocks of her orgasm course through her as Alexa stroked her blonde hair, kissing her temple. Soon they were still, and Alexa slowly slid her finger out from Daphne and cuddled her closer, her heart full of love.

These feral passions had rapidly drained what little strength Daphne had. She soon collapsed into the most wonderful deep sleep. Alexa intertwined her fingers with hers and held onto them for the rest of the day.

"You have no problem pouring your affection on me,” she whispered into her ears in her most deliciously thick and sultry voice, sending tingles through Daphne’s spine. “But you're helpless whenever I start showing you any."

Daphne couldn’t speak. Alexa’s fingers were leaving trails of fire wherever they went.

“I love you,” Alexa whispered, shaking Daphne to the core more than the orgasm did. 

_It was just three words, but it was somehow charged with a power and intensity foreign to me._

Unlike many other words that people like to toss the declaration around and throwback and forthwith, at this exact moment, these words had real meaning.

* * *

**_A week_** has passed since they consummated their love, and nothing was the same ever since.

It wasn’t for the first time in her life that a girl had brought a strange kind of excitement to her like the way the sun lighted up a new day, but she was also something else. Something dark. Like chocolate or the other side of the moon.

_Alexandria Cresswell had driven me insane and I can’t comprehend it._

For the last several weeks, all she could think about was Alexa, Alexa, Alexa. Daphne’s mind was spinning with the taller girl’s image, her name, her touch, and her piercing brilliant black eyes.

Alexa made Daphne’s heart flutter, like the wings of a thousand butterflies. And just the way her mesmerizing dark eyes stared at her sent the chill through her bones.

_Maybe this wasn’t just about curiosity for me anymore. Maybe I was beginning to feel something. Something other than the initial lust that threatened to overwhelm me the first night we shared a bed._

Daphne was pretty sure she died when Mom learned about her updated relationship and been revived from death by a necromancer aka Dad. For the past few days, her mother then accepted and respected her relationship with Alexa. Dad was beyond supportive. He even attended LGBT parent meetings in the community and handed her a pocketbook about lesbian sex.

Daphne's face turned red to the ears once received it.

_Ugh. Ever since Alexa and I got together, my idiotic brothers just can't keep it to themselves. _

_Plus, Alec was so proud of us. _

They couldn’t keep their excitement to their selves and now everyone has heard the news that they are a couple. Daphne often got people whispering behind her back, even in front of her. At times, they would make way whenever she would walk down the hall, like Moses parting the red sea, which was surprising.

_Oh well more for me, now, I don't get to wait for them to move out of the way just to get to my next class._

Alexa wasn’t around and there wasn’t any chance for them to cross paths because of their different schedules. Daphne itched to text her girlfriend just to say hello or ask how she was. But her homeroom professor caught her using her phone under the table and confiscated it.

Pretty bumped out about it, she headed towards the restroom first to freshen up.

"Congratulations." A voice came from behind her. She stared at the mirror while she was reapplying her lip tint.

Elysia stood behind her, upset for some reason.

"What do you want?" she asked, with an edge.

"Nothing, just want to congratulate you for openly dating a girl." Elysia smiled, before handing her a phone. “And to return your phone.”

Daphne gasped, but she retrieved it nonetheless. “Thanks.”

“I had to sneak into the faculty room to take it.”

“Why would you do that?” she asked, putting her phone in her jean’s back pocket.

“I just want to be on your good graces.”

"I know you, Elysia. Dating Alexa displeases you somehow." She hissed. "What is it with Alexa that you dislike too much? Are you—"

"I’m pansexual, Daphne.” She interrupted, knowing exactly where the question was heading. “That will be the last thing I’ll judge about your relationship. It's just that she hasn't told you her secrets yet."

"What secrets?"

"It's the only one that caused her past relationship to go haywire."

"You mean, Alexa's ex? You said she was an old friend. What happened to her?"

"She moved away. She wanted to go away from Cresswell because of a secret. Which of course, Alexa won't ever tell you because she didn't want you to hate her and leave.

"Then that stupid friend of yours did never understand as she should have."

Elysia shrugged. "Let's just see how you'll react to her secrets. She’s not what you think she is."

Her words had successfully planted a huge doubt within her.

"Bullshit." Daphne’s hands were clenched into fists.

Several things came into focus at once. First, Daphne knew without a doubt that her first loyalty lay with the tall beauty who had stolen her heart – she had to make sure that Alexa was safe from now on. And second, she knew that she couldn’t bring herself to harm anyone, now, either. She took a deep breath. "I think it’s best if I leave," she said in a low voice. "I don't want things to get ugly."


	8. Chapter 8

This time Daphne had no escape when she was finally given detention. Her homeroom teacher told her it was one long overdue anyways. She had to stay in school until 5:30 in the afternoon just to clean the theater club's garage.

The school was almost empty, saved for the occasional club members and utility staff.

Daphne let out a sigh.

_I already missed Alexa. _

She berated her past self for telling Alexa to head home without her as was originally planned even if her girlfriend wanted to wait for her until she finished detention.

But it was for the best, Alexa already has her punishment. She's needed to finish the homework she callously forgot before midnight and email it to the teacher.

As soon as the hours were spent and the garage was mildly segregated, Daphne went on her way to the parking area. A couple of jocks greeted her vision. They looked like they have been waiting for her.

For a moment, she thought they were the local robbers and that maybe they'd taken her note seriously. 

Daphne remembered two of them, Maddie’s boyfriend and that Asian guy. "Yes?" she asked, once she was on their hearing range. She wished they wouldn't really ask her for her spare change because it was her little piggy bank for gas money.

But at the moment when the words the blond jock uttered came, Daphne knew it wasn't the case.

"You bitch!"

She scoffed. "You don't need to get that bold and rash, what do you need?"

"Give us your phone." He demanded.

Daphne flinched a little. “Why the fuck would you want my phone?”

_What the fuck? Are they really going to rob me?_

_Oh wait, don't be stupid._

_Had they somehow found out I got a video of them bullying Alexa?_

“Why don't you buy your own phone? Is this some lame kind of robbery?" she sniggered but it only fueled their anger.

“Shut up! We know you have it!”

_Oh, so they do know. I wonder how they knew?_

"Believe me,” she taunted. “You don’t want to mess with me.”

She was confident enough to win this but what she didn't expect was that they dared to hurt her in the empty lot behind the school. They must have been that desperate. Hands captured her as she tried to hinder them from trying to find the phone in her bag.

Daphne had to get away fast before the boys discover that her phone was in her pocket all along and touch her somewhere inappropriate.

“Let me go or so help me, you’ll become a high school has-been.” There was a pain in her expressive face, and fear, but her tone was still that quiet calm.

When she can't break free from their iron grip, she inhaled loudly and try to scream but the Asian jock anticipated her move and gagged her mouth with a cloth.

_Eww, is this thing even clean?_

"Hurry up, Prescott,” the Asian guy said. “Damn it!"

Daphne felt sexually harassed as Prescott finally got her prized possession.

“Here it is, this little bitch. Go for it, man. Make her feel sorry for crossing us.” Prescott gave a signal to his friend and he sent a punch to her face.

His fist meeting her jaw made an ugly sound. A grunt passed her lips from the second punch. Crimson blood stained her lips from the blow he had struck and the world blurred in slow motion. The third one made her knees week. The suction of gravity began to pull her downward. She struggled against it, but even her strength was no match for that of two angry jocks.

_There was the pain... lots of pain. There was also numbness; I could no longer feel anything._

* * *

**_Daphne woke _**up to a group of people towered over her and the blurriness escaped and light set forth in her iris.

"Mom?"

"Daphne!" her mother showered her with kisses. "Are you okay?"

She winced at all the wounds and bruises she was in. "What happened?"

Her brothers stood beside her and Logan took it on himself to explain. "Apparently, Maddie and her gang found out that you have evidence where they bullied Alexa on your phone. So, she let her boyfriend and his friend do the dirty work.”

_There were so many questions in my head. How on earth did Maddie find out about the video? How on earth was everything resolved now? How long was I out?_

“The Principal is in their care now. Your girlfriend came to your rescue."

_How Alexa did came to my rescue when she was at home? Did she come looking for me?_

Her jaw dropped in puzzlement but the thought of her shining dame in armor to the rescue made her rethink her cheesy romantic side again.

"You have a killing machine for a girlfriend!" Lorcan finished with a big exclamation.

Daphne lost her patience. "Where is she?"

"I'm here." Alexa came in, flawless to the eyes as ever. Even if her face had a huge discoloration.

_I may be exaggerating. She's perfectly imperfect and I'm imperfectly perfect. Okay, I know I'm exaggerating myself._

"How did you—" Daphne’s question faded when the muscles in her face ached.

"I finished my homework early." She said casually as she ambled her way beside her. Mom and her brothers gave way. "I wanted to surprise you but it seemed I was the one surprised."

Daphne chuckled. "But it wasn't a good one." Her laugh died in her lips when Alexa was finally next to her. Her girlfriend bore bruises, black and blue which made Daphne wince at the sight, but Alexa seemed unfazed by it, and because of that attitude. She looked golden, somehow.

"Are you okay?" Daphne asked her. "You didn't save me on your own, didn't you?"

She gulped and bit her lip. A little bit hesitant to answer.

"You did?" Daphne asked harshly. "How did you do it?"

"Umm..." Alexa stared hopefully at the audience. Daphne’s mother understood perfectly what Alexa was trying to say so she excused herself and pulled her whining sons out of the room with her.

Mom gave them a wave before fully closing the door.

"What is this supposed to mean?" Daphne asked.

_Maybe it wasn't just me who felt the unexplainable heavy mood Alexa was in. I really wished I could do something for her, but considering how it had to do with... this kind of thing._

Daphne took a deep breath. No, actually she took several. They stayed there staring silently at different spots at a time. None of them said a word perfectly knowing that neither actually knew what to say.

"You were out for a whole night, you missed a lot of stuff."

Daphne's thoughts strayed to fill the puzzle in. "Was it Elysia? Was she the one who told Maddie I had an incriminating video?"

Alexa nodded. "She was here earlier, came to apologize after she found out that Maddie made this happen."

"Yeah, I know she's just worried about me, but it wasn't right. Of course, it wasn't her fault that Maddie made this crazy decision, but she wasn't supposed to meddle like this too."

"Your mother told Elysia the same thing an hour ago," Alexa said, joking before her dark eyes flickered. "I have a confession to make, Daphne. Something I should have told you earlier after we got together."

Her eyes were sad and Daphne got the feeling that she wouldn't like this confession at all. The doubt that Elysia planted on her head sprung to life, gnawing at every fiber of her being.

_Alexa's secret that could make our relationship haywire. What lie did Elysia mean?_

"I have... I have...."

Daphne waited for her to finish.

Alexa peered into hers in anxiety. She held onto Daphne’s hand for a surge of strength. "I have been cursed before I was born,” she started. “And the doctors cannot explain how I have it. It’s like a rare case of disorder. I’m incapacitated. I'm painless. It's one I always had. My parents told me I was cursed because of what our ancestors did. They say may times great grandpa Cresswell angered a cavern witch by burning her daughters. Ever since then, every firstborn under his lineage will be unable to feel through their skin. Without feeling pain, you wouldn’t be able to feel you’re in danger. That’s how my parents died.” A ghost of a smile lingered on her lips. “Died by fire. The same way the poor girls were condemned to.”

Daphne’s jaw dropped. She bowed her head at the revelation, merely nodding.

_What was I supposed to say?_

“My father, unfeeling, didn’t notice the heat of the fire. He died in his sleep. My mother, died as she tried to save him. My grandfather died from snakebite poison when they were trekking. And his father before him died from a bullet wound he hadn't known was there all this time. They all died from not sensing pain. When it could have been prevented.”

Daphne tightened the hold she had on Alexa.

“I am holding your hand, but I feel nothing. Not your heat, nor your weight. I can't feel how soft or smooth your skin is. But I’m sure you’re all sorts of wonderful. Because I know… somehow, every time I'm with you... I feel something. Even though it's just imaginary, I can feel you, Daphne. And it's really something special."

"Then..." Daphne said. "So, when you were being bullied..."

"All those bruises and wounds were painless. That's why I get into fights, I get rough. I want to believe I can feel touch. When I first learned about the sense of touch in my primary years I was disappointed to learn I cannot feel it. I thought about heaven and hell and how I didn't believe in any of that. How maybe my parents had been wrong. How I can really feel something if I strive to look for it. And then something weird happened. Puberty came. Hormones skyrocketed. I wanted to feel pleasure. I’m so... touch-deprived. I keep seeing people touching, couples kissing, movies and books where they show how intimately pleasure can be derived. Like a metaphor for all that I wouldn't be able to accomplish. And that I will die not knowing it."

Daphne had never been this dumbfounded. She was speechless and a little bit angry because she has been lied to.

_Maybe not lied to, Alexa made me believe, and I believed wrongly._

Then it all came to her, even that scene where Daphne tried to tickle her. It was weird that Alexa had a late reaction.

_We had sex and she liked it rough. Was she faking it? Was she faking her pleasure the whole time? Can she even fake the tremors, the pool of her wetness, the sound of genuine moan in ecstasy? _

_It all felt real to me. _

Alexa didn’t see the tension within Daphne. Maybe she did, but she didn’t pay it any heed.

Daphne couldn't bear to look at her. She winced in emotional pain, and she hissed at the empty air. She couldn't believe she was lied to. Of all things, she lied to her about it.

_I knew what a fake orgasm was. I performed it so many times before with my exes. Perhaps she only acted to make things seem like she could feel it. _

_She lied. She faked everything. That moment was a lie. _

_What else had she lied to my face?_

Alexa chuckled, continuing. “I may not feel it, Daphne, but my body reacts appropriately. Did you know I never had an orgasm until you?”

_Bullshit._

“That’s right, you heard right,” Alexa said. “Even as I touch myself many nights ago, how many girls, even boys, I bedded before? I could never feel anything. I can’t feel pleasure. But there was one thing I was sure of.” She pointed at her heart. “My heart beats more for girls. My heart even beats more for you. I can achieve pleasure when I’m with you. Though I didn't feel anything. But the thought of you touching me, it sent shivers. I feel when I’m with you. I feel it when you tell me you love me when you show me you love me. I’ve lived all years of my life unfeeling. That's why I'm more susceptible to illness or pain because I couldn't feel them. I may have sprained my ankle, I can’t tell until I’ve fallen on the ground because I can’t walk."

Daphne frowned, feeling that familiar rush of heat to her face and that tightening in her chest as tears threatened to spill. She blinked them away, but another image flickered through her mind, stronger than the last. "Is there a cure?"

Alexa's forehead creased. "I don't know how it would make you feel better if you knew."

“So there is a cure!”

“I love your optimism, Daphne, but I fear we cannot cure it.”

"Isn't there some way where we can find the witch? Or her relatives or her descendants and help you lift the curse?"

"My great-great-grandfather started looking for them, but it was my dad who got in contact. He actually found her descendants too late, their witchcraft is now a lost art. They hid among the normal folk, and as a result, they lost their magic."

Her heartache felt like a caved prison. “Even then there must be something we can do! Not even true love’s kiss?”

“Not even true love’s kiss.”

Daphne knew it was bad that she felt relieved by that. But the thought of kissing Alexa and finding out she wasn’t her true love, shot a cold dagger to her ribcage. “Then what can we do? If being unable to feel is dangerous, why do you live alone in that house? Where no one can inform you of fire, where no one can assist if after being beaten up, or even wake you up because of danger?”

“Because to be honest, I was hoping to end the curse with me. I am my father’s firstborn, only I can spread the curse. Alec’s normal. His children will be normal.”

“You’re gay,” Daphne argued. “You can’t exactly earn unwanted children.”

“Didn’t you feel lied to? When we made love for the first time? I faked my reaction and everything.”

“I have to admit. I really did. I really felt you made me believe. It’s worse than being lied to.” Daphne wasn't giving her tomfoolery or games, she let her go. Just the thought of touching her hand sent jolts of pain to her.

When she finished speaking her mind and untangling their fingers together, Alexa comprehended that it was serious.

Alexa looked at her, tears were also threatening her eyes. "This congenital insensitivity to pain makes me feel like a broken record. But Daphne!" She gasped, her outstretched hand stopped midair, rethinking the fact if she should reach out to her. "I want you to know that even if I can't feel pleasure from your touch or from pain physically, I'm not lying when I say that I can feel you mentally and emotionally. It's like you can make me feel! You're gentle, you're soft, and you’re solid. You make me feel when I shouldn’t!" She held her forehead in fear she might be going crazy. "I'm not making sense anymore."

Those words from her girlfriend broke part of her heart, but Daphne knew that it was either that or an even greater heartbreak which she was experimenting with now. At the thought of that, Daphne got this overwhelming feeling of happiness but also from sadness as Alexa's stared at her.

Maybe it was a reflex of her feelings or Daphne just felt like she needed to say something even though there was nothing left to say.

Despite everything, there was a great understanding within her that accepted and forgave all Alexa had done considering what she'd been through.

"It's okay," she assured her. "I forgive you." Just a few more minutes passed before she realized what had to be done.

After a few blinks, while she gathered her courage, Daphne faced the pretty girl and breathed in the scent of Alexa's body carried by this new wind that came from the open window. Daphne wrapped both of her arms around Alexa’s waist.

"I understand why you decided to hide it to everyone and to me. I'm grateful you told me your deepest secret and your weakest flaw. In return, I shall tell you mine and I’ll take great care of you."

_Definitely, her warmth was something I longed to feel. Ever since I was small, this warmth was the one I wished to feel the most even if I never did admit it to anyone. _

_Obviously, this warmth was different. If you hug your sibling or your friends, you always feel the detached warmth... but when you're hugging someone you love who also loves you in return, their warmth is yours. It is a part of you._

Alexa leaned her forehead to hers, noses, eyes and lips inches away, she stared with her soulful eyes. "Every nerve on my body could be damaged or numb, but if it's you, I'd still be able to feel you." She said as she snuggled up to me and resting her face on the crook of my neck. "I love you, Daphne. More than what you think."

“I love you too.”

The declaration caused Alexa to giggle. “I wonder what the haters will do when they realized we’re still together.”

"One step at a time, I suppose."

Elysia will lose her mind. The school will be divided into three factions of support, hate, and neutral. 

Daphne shook her head to erase that thought.

_No matter what happens, I love her and that's that, it doesn't matter what anyone says or society says. _

Daphne glanced at her lover and caught her eyes. She probably was thinking about the same thing. Daphne gave her a small smile which she mimicked half a second later.

“I’d love to find out.” Daphne reached to plant her lips to hers.

“I can just see my witch hunter ancestor and your witch ancestor rolling at their graves.”

Daphne’s jaw dropped as the implication dawned on her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it, guys. Thank you for reading! This was my attempt to write a contemporary fiction and failed lmao. While I admit that this is very slow-paced and has a very different genre than the first one, we all need soft and light-hearted ones now and then. The next one would be very much another dark theme.


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